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Considerable  printed  information  concerning  the  New- 
York  State  Library  School  exists  but  it  is  scattered 
through  printed  reports,  in  casual  comments  and  notes 
in  professional  periodicals  and  elsewhere,  and  in  its  own 
publications.  This  close  of  the  first  quarter  century  of 
the  school  furnishes  a  suitable  occasion  for  the  publica- 
tion of  this  brief  compilation  whose  double  purpose  is  to 
furnish  those  who  have  attended  the  school  a  convenient 
peg  on  which  to  hang  reminiscences  and  to  give  to  those 
who  have  never  been  connected  with  the  school  a  general 
idea  of  what  it  has  been  these  past  twenty-five  years. 

It  is  not  a  formal  treatise  or  an  exhaustive  study  but 
a  collection  by  many  hands  with  just  enough  general 
plan  to  give  logical  relation  and  enough  lack  of  plan  to 
give  something  of  the  informality  of  a  conversation 
between  friends. 

The  illustrations  have  been  selected  with  the  intention 
of  representing  all  periods  of  the  school's  history  and,  in 
spite  of  its  relative  rather  than  fixed  location,  of  giving 
enough  to  enable  as  many  former  students  as  possible 
to  recall  the  very  rooms  in  which  they  studied.  Un- 
fortunately, no  picture  of  59  (the  northwest  tower  room) 
in  which  the  school  was  located  longer  than  in  any  other 
one  room,  could  be  obtained.  It  is  also  unfortunate 
that  of  many  of  the  pictures  reproduced  only  rather 
poor  copies  (often  halftones)  were  available.  The 
indistinctness  of  detail  in  some  of  the  present  reproduc- 
tions is  therefore  in  reality  an  evidence  of  the  fidelity  of 
the  copies.  Special  thanks  are  due  to  Columbia  Uni- 
versity for  permission  to  reproduce  the  pictures  of  the 
school's  early  home  at  Columbia. 


M216G50 


Qlnntfttta 

PAGE 

Administrative    history    of    the    New    York    State 

Library  School.     James  I.   Wyer,  Jr 7 

The  genesis  of  the  library  school.     Melvil  Dewey.  . .  13 

Chronological  summary 24 

Summer  session.     Corinne  Bacon 27 

New     York     State     Library     School     Association. 

Bessie  Sargeant   Smith 34 

The    New    York    State    Library    School    from    the 

student's  point  of  view 39 

The  Columbia  College  School  of  Library  Economy 
from    a    student's    standpoint.      Mary    Wright 

Plummer 40 

In   1890-91.      Edwin  Hatfield  Anderson 43 

New  York  State  Library  School  1895-97.     Isabel 

Ely    Lord 46 

Leaves    from    a    journal    of   our   life   in   Albany. 

Charles  James  Barr 5 l 

As  it  was  in  1905-06.     Chalmers  Hadley 56 

In  1910-12.     Mrs  Elizabeth  G.   Potter 59 

Illustrations 

At  Columbia  College  1887  facing  page 

Chief  librarian's  office title  page 

Reading  room 7 

Melvil  Dewey 13 

Mrs  Salome  Cutler  Fairchild 16 

In  the  State  Capitol  at  Albany 

Room  31 21 

Room  51 24 

Room  5 1  a 27 

Room  71 34 

Edwin  Hatfield  Anderson 43 

Study  room,  State  Normal  College 48 

Study    room,    Guild    House    of    Cathedral    of    All 

Saints 55 

Study  room,  State  Education  Building 5$ 


AomittiBtrattur  ijtHtorg  of  tljr  2frm  fork  £>tatp  Htbrary 

^dionl 

James    I.    Wyer,   Jr,    Director  of  the    New    York   State 
Library  and  Library  School 

That  the  first  library  school  was  started  at  Columbia 
College  twenty-five  years  ago  does  not  mean  that  Col- 
umbia was  deliberately  a  pioneer  in  this  form  of  pro- 
fessional instruction,  nor  that  in  the  strictest  sense  the 
new  enterprise  owed  its  initiative  to  the  college  author- 
ities. The  truth  is  that  any  renown  which  may  properly 
accrue  to  Columbia  University  from  the  fact  that  the 
first  library  school  in  the  world  was  started  there,  is 
rather  thrust  upon  the  college  by  the  zeal  and  persist- 
ence of  its  then  chief  librarian,  Melvil  Dewey,  and  that 
the  library  school  was  started  at  Columbia  merely  be- 
cause Doctor  Dewey  happened  at  that  time  to  be  Col- 
umbia's librarian.  It  would  have  started  as  surely 
wherever  else  he  might  have  been. 

The  first  mention  of  the  Columbia  College  School  of 
Library  Economy  seems  to  occur  in  a  formal  written 
proposition  addressed  to  the  trustees  of  the  college  and 
laid  before  them  by  the  president  on  May  7,  1883.  After 
a  whole  year  of  consideration  a  resolution  adopted  by 
the  trustees  on  May  5,  1884  declared  that  a  school 
might  be  opened  in  the  college  under  the  above  name 
after  notice  of  not  less  than  two  years.  The  conditions 
accompanying  this  concession  were  a  little  difficult : 

First,  that  the  conduct  of  the  school  should  involve 
no  expense  to  the  corporation. 

Second,  that  instruction  in  the  school  should  be  given 
by  members  of  the  library  staff  in  addition  to  their 
ordinary  duties. 

Third,  that  the  school  should  be  conducted  in  the 
library  building  with  such  accommodations  as  could  be 
found  there. 

Even  a  casual  reading  of  these  conditions  suggests  the 
thought  that  the  trustees  were  only  lukewarm  toward 


the  hew  proposition  if  not  actually  in  opposition.     That 
the  resolutions  were  passed  at  all  is  probably  due  quite 
as  much  to  the  fact  that  Columbia's  president,  Dr  F. 
A.  P.  Barnard,  was  on  the  side  of  the  school  and  seems 
to   have   been   about    the   only   person    connected   with 
Columbia    College   who   was.     The    resolution    and    ac- 
companying  conditions   look   suspiciously   like   a    polite 
and  diplomatic  way  of  suppressing  the  whole  business, 
and   doubtless   the   trustees   supposed   that   long   before 
the  end  of  the  two  years  their  versatile  and  energetic 
librarian  would  have  turned  his  attention  to  other  things. 
Not  so  however.     The  trustees  knew  neither  the  man 
nor  the  importance  of  his  idea.     The  two  years'  notice 
was  given  and  it  was  hoped  to  open  the  school  at  the 
beginning   of   the    school  year   1886-87.     Here  however 
other  opposition  developed,  an  opposition  significant  and 
interesting  even  at  the  present  day.     Failing  to  kill  the 
enterprise  by  damning  it  with  faint  permission,  a  vigorous 
and    bitter   fight   was   made   against   opening   it    at    all 
because,   forsooth,   it   would   bring   petticoats   upon   the 
sacred    campus   of  Columbia    College.     This   objection, 
doubtless  urged  with  all  the  zeal  and  energy  which  mark 
both  sides  of  the  same  question  which,  in  other  phases, 
is  still  with  us,  caused  the  postponement  of  the  opening 
until  January  5,    1887.     The   school  continued   at  Col- 
umbia until  its  founder,  Doctor  Dewey,  was  called  late 
in  1888  to  become  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Regents  of 
the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York  and  Director 
of  the  New  York  State  Library.     Rather  than  leave  his 
library  lamb  to  the  Columbia  wolves,  he  early  arranged 
the  transfer  of  the  school  to  Albany,  presenting  the  pro- 
posal to  the  chairman  of  the  library  committee  of  the 
Regents  of  the   University   in   an   interesting  appendix 
(no.   5)   to  the  Annual  Report  of  the  New  York  State 
Library  for  1889.     It  may  easily  be  imagined  that  there 
was  no  opposition  to  this  move  from  the  authorities  at 
Columbia  and  it  certainly  was  the  best  thing  that  could 
have  happened  to  the  Library  School,  for  at  the  State 
capital  and  as  part  of  the  State's  library  machinery,  the 
school  undoubtedly  has  performed  a  useful  function  far 
more  appropriate  and  widespread  than  any  work  that  it 
could  have  done  at  Columbia. 


Under  Doctor  Dewey  the  State  Library  embarked  upon 
a  statewide  work  in  library  extension.  A  body  of  trained 
library  workers  was  necessary  to  do  this.  It  was  right 
and  proper  that  the  State  should  conduct  the  institu- 
tion which  should  train  such  workers.  The  New  York 
State  Library  was  to  be  and  has  ever  since  been  the 
principal  agent  in  fostering  such  extension,  and  had  the 
State  Library  School  never  done  anything  more  than  to 
train  competent  assistants  for  the  State  Library  itself, 
during  its  twenty-three  years  in  Albany,  it  would  still 
have  made  large  returns  to  the  State  for  every  dollar 
invested  in  it.  That  it  has  done  more,  very  much  more, 
is  a  matter  of  public  record  in  the  series  of  interesting 
and  significant  annual  reports  which  have  come  regularly 
from  the  school  since  its  establishment  at  the  capital. 

It  is  doubtful  whether  the  State  of  New  York  has  ever 
done  a  bit  of  educational  work  with  noteworthy  results 
so  wholly  out  of  proportion  to  its  cost  and  its  pretension 
as  in  this  Library  School.  As  a  pioneer  enterprise  in 
training  for  a  new  calling  it  has  set  standards  for  library 
service;  it  has  furnished  leaders  and  trained  workers  for 
a  rapidly  developing  profession;  it  has  provided  un- 
equaled  opportunities  for  library  training  to  nearly  seven 
hundred  men  and  women,  most  of  whom  have  been  resi- 
dents of  the  State  or  who  afterward  remained  here  as 
citizens;  and  through  its  graduates  it  has  been  an  im- 
portant fa-ctor  in  furthering  the  rapid  growth  of  libraries 
in  this  State  during  the  past  twenty-five  years. 

No  important  administrative  change  occurred  in  the 
conduct  of  the  school  until  1902,  when  the  entrance 
requirements  were  radically  altered.  Before  that  date, 
admission  was  by  examination.  A  high  school  education 
was  required  after  1 891 -- perhaps  no  one  was  ever 
admitted  without  such  preparation  --  but  no  college 
work  was  insisted  upon.  As  the  school  grew  and  as 
library  work  rounded  into  the  semblance  of  a  profession 
between  1890  and  1900,  it  constantly  attracted  students 
with  either  a  whole  or  a  partial  college  course.  In  1902, 
therefore,  it  seemed  wise  to  the  faculty  definitely  to  put 
the  school  upon  a  graduate  basis,  and  to  accomplish  this 
admission  was  restricted  to  graduates  of  colleges  regis- 
tered by  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York.     This 


IO 


was  an  interesting  and  a  somewhat  hazardous  experi- 
ment. At  that  time  graduate  schools  in  even  the  greatest 
professions  were  few  and  the  policy  of  a  graduate  pro- 
fessional education  a  dubious  one.  Before  1902  the  New 
York  State  Library  School  had  more  than  ten  appli- 
cations for  every  student  it  could  admit.  The  require- 
ment of  a  college  degree,  however,  made  it  certain  that 
applications  would  fall  off,  possibly  to  the  point  of  making 
it  impossible  to  attract  enough  of  the  right  kind  of 
people  to  continue  the  school  at  all.  Applications  did 
fall  off.  Records  are  not  now  available  indicating  to 
just  what  extent,  but  certainly  never  to  the  point  where 
the  school  failed  to  begin  the  year  with  as  large  an  enter- 
ing class  as  its  limited  room  could  accommodate.  After 
ten  years  the  success  of  the  policy  is  assured  and  the  plan 
has  been  followed  by  one  or  two  of  the  younger  schools 
which  have  sprung  up  in  the  wake  of  that  at  Albany. 

Another  important  change  in  the  administrative  policy 
of  the  school  relates  to  the  return  for  instruction  made 
by  its  students  in  work  to  the  State  Library.  In  the 
early  years  at  Albany  the  school  was  to  a  great  extent 
a  sort  of  glorified  apprentice  class.  Students  were  regu- 
larly admitted,  paid  their  liberal  fees  to  the  State  for 
tuition,  paid  for  their  supplies  and  books,  but  in  addition 
to  this,  they  were  expected  to  render  a  certain  stated 
amount  of  service  each  year  to  the  State  Library.  This 
plan  did  not  work  out  very  satisfactorily.  It  was  found 
to  take  about  as  much  time  from  the  members  of  the 
State  Library  staff  to  plan  and  oversee  the  work  of  these 
students  as  was  represented  by  the  actual  service  they 
rendered  to  the  library.  While  the  library  has  always 
recruited  its  staff  chiefly  from  the  students  of  the  Library 
School,  and  while  it  is  abundantly  true  that  but  for  the 
school  the  State  Library  could  never  through  the  past 
twenty  years  have  done  the  work  that  it  has  for  the 
money  that  has  been  appropriated  to  it  for  salaries,  yet 
for  some  years  so  thoroughly  has  the  school  proved  its 
usefulness  that  it  has  been  frankly  recognized  as  a  useful 
State  institution.  Separate  appropriations  are  now  regu- 
larly made  for  it  and  the  old  policy  of  quid  pro  quo  in  the 
matter  of  payment  for  instruction  by  services  has  been 
discontinued. 


II 


In  1904,  when  educational  unification  was  accomplished 
in  New  York  State  and  the  administrative  oversight  of  the 
school  somewhat  changed,  and  when  in  the  year  follow- 
ing Doctor  Dewey  and  Mrs  Salome  C.  Fairchild,  who 
had  been  connected  with  the  school  from  Columbia  days, 
resigned,  some  anxiety  arose  as  to  the  future  of  the  school 
among  its  alumni,  now  numbering  several  hundred  influ- 
ential library  workers  organized  as  the  New  York  State 
Library  School  Association.  The  alumni  and  the  library 
profession  were  promptly  reassured  by  the  Regents  of  the 
University,  who  voted  on  December  14,  1905  that,  "  It  is 
the  purpose  to  maintain  the  Library  School  permanently 
upon  the  highest  practicable  plane  of  efficiency  and  use- 
fulness." This  policy,  announced  seven  years  ago,  has 
been  followed  consistently  and  liberally.  The  school  is 
stronger  today  than  ever  before.  It  has  been  formed 
into  a  separate  division  of  the  Education  Department. 
The  Regents  of  the  University  and  the  Commissioner  of 
Education  have  been  genuinely  interested  in  the  welfare 
of  the  school  and  have  supported  the  faculty  in  all  plans 
for  its  growth  and  improvement.  Had  it  not  been  so, 
the  fire  of  March  29,  191 1,  which  utterly  destroyed  its 
records,  collections  and  equipment,  might  easily  have 
marked  its  end.  On  the  contrary,  there  was  no  thought 
or  hint  of  anything  but  the  complete  and  quickest  pos- 
sible recovery,  and  twenty-five  years'  experience  have 
been  utilized  to  plan  and  organize  a  new  school  which,  if 
possible,  shall  be  even  better  than  the  old. 

The  school  has  been  fortunate  in  the  continuity  of  its 
administration.  During  the  first  quarter  century  but  five 
different  persons  have  served  as  director  and  vice  director. 
Thus  Mrs  Fairchild's  ideals  and  sound  judgment  at  the 
service  of  the  school  for  seventeen  years  made  it  possible 
to  formulate  and  carry  out  policies  with  a  minimum  of 
that  loss  of  efficiency  which  inevitably  follows  frequent 
change  of  executives. 

The  growth  of  the  school  has  never  been  great  in  num- 
bers, for  until  the  occupancy  of  its  rooms  in  the  new 
building,  its  members  have  been  strictly  numbered  by 
available  desks.  But  the  constant  effort  has  been  to 
keep  its  curriculum  abreast  of  all  proved  and  conservative 


12 

library  developments  and  to  strengthen  and  enrich  its 
work  whenever  possible. 

Despite  the  fact  that  its  new  quarters  will  accommodate 
a  few  more  students  than  in  the  past,  the  school  has  no 
thought  of  modifying  its  entrance  requirements  or  of 
abating  in  even  the  slightest  degree  its  insistence  on  high 
personal  qualities  and  an  ample  preliminary  education. 


•i       J 

y 


MELVIL  DEWEY 

Founder   of   the    New   York    State   Library   School   and   Director  of   the   New    York   State 
Library  and  Library  School,  1887-1905 


(SJtje  (SruPSiH  of  tljc  ICibraro  ^rijnol 

Melvil  Dewey,  Director  of  the  New  York  State  Library 
and  Library  School,  1887-IQ05 

Eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-six  is  the  red-letter 
year  of  librarianship.  It  had  become  clear  that  the  time 
had  come  for  the  birth  of  a  new  profession  with  new 
ideals.  The  old  library  was  largely  passive  or  asleep,  a 
reservoir  chiefly  concerned  in  getting  in.  The  new  dream 
was  of  giving  out,  a  life-giving  fountain,  an  active,  ag- 
gressive, educating  force  in  each  community,  large  or 
small.  The  old  librarian  was  a  jailer  of  his  books;  the 
new  was  a  missionary  eager  to  carry  his  message  to  all 
who  had  eyes  to  read  or  fingers  to  feel  the  raised  letters 
of  the  library  for  the  blind.  It  meant  revolutionizing 
the  public  conception  of  librarianship.  Its  promoters 
were  not  afraid  to  be  called  dreamers  or  fanatics;  they 
looked  squarely  into  the  future  and  saw  that  there  must 
come,  as  fast  as  hard  work  could  bring  them,  four  dis- 
tinct factors,  among  others,  in  the  new  world  movement 
to  which  they  pledged  the  rest  of  their  lives. 

1  A  monthly  journal,  which  would  serve  as  a  means 
of  constant  communication  among  the  missionaries  of 
the  book. 

2  An  American  library  association  for  organized  co- 
operative work  to  be  followed  as  growth  warranted  by 
state  and  local  library  associations  or  clubs 

3  A  normal  school  which  should  select  the  best  candi- 
dates and  give  systematic  training  in  methods  and  a  con- 
stant inspiration  for  the  ideals  of  the  new  profession. 

4  A  state  department  to  supervise,  guide  and  promote 
valuable  legislation,  secure  deserved  appropriations  and 
with  the  great  power  and  resources  of  the  commonwealth 
foster  and  build  up  libraries  as  similar  departments  were 
fostering  the  public  schools. 

So  on  October  3-7,  1876,  in  Philadelphia  during  the 
American  Centennial,  the  leading  librarians  of  America, 
with  a  few  delegates  from  other  countries,  responded  to 

13 


H 

the  urgent  calls  of  those  who  rashly  rushed  in  where  the 
bibliographic  angels  feared  to  tread,  and  the  American 
Library  Association  was  founded  and  began  its  marvelous 
career  of  public  usefulness  side  by  side  with  the  Library 
Journal.  The  school  and  state  department  waited  only 
for  favorable  opportunity. 

When  the  editor  of  the  Journal  and  secretary  of  the 
A.  L.  A.  went  to  Columbia  College  as  chief  librarian  in 
May,  1883,  he  made  it  a  condition  of  acceptance  that  he 
be  allowed  to  make  this  school  dream  real.  At  the  first 
meeting  of  the  trustees,  May  7,  1883,  the  new  plan  was 
laid  before  that  body.  Within  three  months,  August 
1 6th,  the  preliminary  report  was  read  at  the  Buffalo 
A.  L.  A.  meeting. 

Like  every  radical  proposal,  it  excited  criticism  and 
opposition.  But  its  friends  made  prominent  all  said  in 
its  support  and  judiciously  forgot  all  opposition  —  except 
as  they  could  profit  from  it.  May  5,  1884,  the  Columbia 
trustees  adopted  by  unanimous  vote  the  plans  submitted 
by  the  director  of  the  new  school. 

The  conditions  were  a  little  difficult.     They  were: 

1  That  the  conduct  of  the  school  should  involve  no 
expense  to  the  corporation. 

2  That  instruction  in  the  school  should  be  given  by 
members  of  the  library  staff  in  addition  to  their  ordinary 
duties. 

3  That  the  school  should  be  conducted  in  the  library 
building  with  such  accommodations  as  could  be  found 
there. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  was  permitted  that  a  moderate 
tuition  fee  might  be  charged,  and  that  the  proceeds  from 
this  source  might  be  applied  to  any  expense  that  might 
necessarily  be  incurred  in  the  administration  of  the  affairs 
of  the  school.  Over  two  years'  notice  of  the  opening  was 
given.  The  plan  of  the  course  was  worked  out  with  experi- 
mental classes  made  up  from  the  Columbia  staff,  and  meet- 
ing in  the  director's  office.  President  F.  A.  P.  Barnard  of 
Columbia,  a  great  educational  seer,  gave  his  warm  sup- 
port to  the  school  from  the  first  and  urged  it  at  each  meet- 
ing of  the  Columbia  trustees.  The  chief  librarian  was 
duly  elected  professor  of  library  economy  and  director  of 
the  school.     Five  or  at  most  ten  students  were  expected. 


is 

From  forty  who  applied  twenty  were  se  ected.  Only  two 
were  from  New  York  City;  Massachusetts  and  New  York 
sent  five  each;  the  other  ten  were  from  ten  different  states 
and  countries  from  California  to  England.  January  5, 
1887  the  course  began.  The  Columbia  report  of  the 
year  says: 

A  fact  exceedingly  encouraging  to  those  with  whom  this  scheme 
originated  has  been  the  intense  interest  manifested  by  the  students 
of  the  school  in  their  work,  and  the  untiring  industry  with  which 
they  have  followed  it  up;  many  of  them  often  remaining  at  the  library 
to  a  late  hour  of  the  night,  engaged  in  writing  up  their  lecture  notes 
or  in  practising  the  methods  taught  in  class.  An  evidence  of  their 
appreciation  of  their  opportunities  was  early  manifested  in  an  unani- 
mous petition  that  the  school  term  might  be  extended  a  month 
beyond  the  limit  originally  assigned  to  it,  which  was  from  January 
1st  to  April  1st.  This  comparatively  brief  period  was  fixed  on  and 
announced  before  the  opening  in  consideration  of  the  fact  that  the 
school  was  an  experiment,  the  success  of  which  was  indeed  hoped 
for,  but  was  not  certain. 

The  director  gave  seventy-two  lectures,  W.  S.  Biscoe 
twenty-six,  and  eighty-five  other  lectures  were  divided 
among  thirty-seven  others.  There  was  an  average  of 
three  lectures  or  visits  for  study  of  libraries  each  day. 
On  these  visits  there  were  quizzes  next  day.  We  quote 
from  the  official  report: 

Each  student  states  what  he  learned  from  the  last  preceding  visit 
that  may  be  of  practical  service  hereafter.  The  wide-awake  com- 
ments and  discussions  impressed  the  practical  lesson  of  library  econ- 
omy much  more  closely,  after  the  methods  had  been  seen  in  actual 
operation  the  day  before.  These  examinations  often  required  sev- 
eral hours,  time  being  taken  to  compare  other  methods,  and  show 
samples  collected  from  other  libraries  and  at  hand  in  the  American 
Library  Association  Museum  of  library  appliances,  which  is  arranged 
in  the  classroom.  These  quizzes  afforded  opportunity  to  correct  any 
errors  and  to  add  to  their  notes  points  not  appreciated  till  brought 
out  by  discussion,  questions  and  suggestions  of  the  class. 
Free  criticism  has  been  allowed,  and  there  have  been  champions  on 
opposite  sides  of  most  questions,  thus  guarding  against  that  narrow- 
ness which  assumes  that  the  methods  of  any  one  library  were  neces- 
sarily the  best  for  others.  In  this  way  seventeen  libraries  were 
studied  from  actual  inspection,  besides  many  more  from  printed  or 
written  explanations  of  their  methods  supplemented  with  pictures, 
samples  etc.,  to  serve  as  object  lessons.  As  each  topic  is  discussed 
in  the  regular  lectures,  these  visits  are  again  utilized  by  drawing  out 
from  the  class  the  places  where  they  saw  the  point  practically  illus- 
trated.    The  skill  and  enthusiasm  with  which  all  this  work  has  been 


i6 

done  have  received  from  visiting  librarians,  and  have  merited,  the 
highest  praise. 

In  many  ways  there  have  been  expressions  of  interest  in  the  school 
beyond  what  is  usual,  and  in  repeated  cases  it  has  been  intimated  by 
officers  or  owners  that  the  school  is  looked  to  to  supply  hereafter 
librarians  or  catalogers  to  certain  prominent  public  libraries,  and 
also  to  comparatively  small  private  collections.  No  more  practical 
approval  of  the  work  here  done  could  be  desired  than  this  expression 
of  a  wish  to  secure  the  services  of  the  graduates  of  this  school. 

In  short,  the  school  has  been  full  of  hard  work,  but  also  full  of 
enthusiasm  and  helpfulness  and  inspiration  to  all  concerned.  Those 
who  doubted  its  success  have  been  wholly  convinced,  when  they  have 
seen  what  has  been  accomplished  in  the  first  year  and  the  abundant 
promise  of  still  better  work  in  the  year  to  come. 

The  University  Convocation  of  1888  invited  the  chief 
librarian  of  Columbia  College  to  address  them  on  the 
general  relation  of  libraries  to  education.  At  the  close 
of  the  address  the  following  was  unanimously  voted: 

Whereas,  This  Convocation  believes  that  the  time  has  come 
when  certain  of  our  public  libraries  should  be  recognized  as  an 
essential  part  of  the  State  system  of  higher  education  and  as 
properly  a  factor  with  the  academies  and  colleges  in  the  com- 
position of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York;  and. 

Whereas,  To  secure  to  the  State  the  full  advantages  of  such 
recognition,  it  is  necessary  that  proper  provision  should  be  made 
by  the  State  for  advisory  supervision  and  guidance  of  existing 
institutions  and  for  stimulating  the  formation  of  new  libraries; 
therefore, 

Resolved,  That  this  Convocation  requests  the  Regents  of  the 
University  to  take  such  action  as  may  seem  to  them  expedient 
for  giving  to  such  libraries  as  their  official  inspection  shall  show 
to  be  worthy  the  distinction,  their  proper  place  as  a  part  of  our 
State  system  of  higher  education. 

The  school  was  the  third  and  perhaps  most  important 
of  the  four  factors  necessary  for  library  success;  a  state 
department  with  recognition  and  appropriations  was  at 
ast  in  sight.  There  was  obviously  a  great  advantage  in 
making  the  pioneer  school  a  part  of  the  pioneer  state 
department. 

In  spite  of  the  great  public  commendation  of  the  new 
work,  Columbia  had  no  appropriation  for  its  support,  and 
the  graver  difficulty  was  the  fact  that  the  students  were 
mostly  women  so  that  the  strong  antiwoman  faction  then 
dominant  at  Columbia  felt  justly  that  it  was  a  grave 


MRS  SALOME  CUTLER  FAIRCHILD 
First  Vice  Director  of  the  New  York  State  Library  School,  1887-1905 


17 

menace  to  the  barriers  they  had  built  against  the  admis- 
sion of  women  to  the  university.  These  opponents  of 
the  school,  not  for  itself  but  because  of  the  sex  of  most  of 
its  students,  threw  their  whole  influence  with  its  best 
friends  who  wished  to  see  the  larger  development  pos- 
sible on  y  by  direct  connection  with  the  State  Education 
Department.  By  this  curious  combination  of  friends 
and  foes,  the  transfer  which  had  been  thought  too  difficult 
to  accomplish  was  brought  about  in  April  1889. 

The  genesis  of  the  library  school,  of  necessity  includes 
these  first  two  years  at  Columbia. 

January  1,  1889,  the  proposer  of  these  innovations 
became  secretary,  treasurer  and  chief  executive  officer  of 
the  University  and  also  Director  of  the  State  Library. 

At  their  next  meeting  held  on  January  10th,  by  request 
of  the  Regents  the  new  director  spoke  for  an  hour  in  the 
senate  chamber  on  his  plans  for  the  new  work  and  traced 
the  remarkable  resemblance  between  the  development  of 
the  common  school  system  and  the  public  library  as  edu- 
cational forces.  The  public  school,  like  the  library,  began 
as  a  private  enterprise,  encouraged  by  churches,  societies 
of  public-spirited  citizens  and  by  individual  gifts.  As  its 
vital  importance  to  the  public  was  more  clearly  under- 
stood, the  school  was  taken  over  for  support  by  public 
taxation;  then  step  by  step  education  boards  or  depart- 
ments grew  up  in  states,  cities  and  towns. 

The  present  generation,  familiar  with  the  wonderful 
public  school  organization  on  which  countless  millions 
are  spent  each  year,  finds  it  hard  to  understand  how  re- 
cently there  was  a  Public  School  Society  in  the  city  of  New 
York  striving  to  educate  the  public  to  the  point  of  creating 
public  boards  and  officers  to  which  the  society  could  turn 
over  its  work  and  then  disband.  The  chief  lesson  in  this 
great  public  school  development  was  the  need  of  sys- 
tematic training  of  teachers,  without  which  no  satisfac- 
tory work  could  be  done.  Profiting  by  the  experience  of 
the  schools,  an  absolute  essential  to  satisfactory  work  in 
the  new  field  was  seen  to  be  provision  for  selecting  and 
training  the  best  candidates  for  the  new  profession  of 
librarianship. 

At  this  meeting  the  Regents  voted  their  approval  of  the 
Convocation  request  and  pledged  their  hearty  support  for 


i8 

the  campaign  outlined  for  rendering  the  public  a  great 
educational  service  in  the  new  field. 

Perhaps  we  should  speak  of  this  period  not  as  the 
genesis  but  as  the  exodus,  for  it  was  certainly  going  to 
the  promised  land  of  larger  usefulness  and  opportunity. 

The  Regents  minutes  of  their  next  meeting,  July  10, 
1889,  bear  this  record  about  the  new  school  (pages  542-48) : 

The  Chancellor  also  submitted  in  full  the  report  and  plan  con- 
cerning the  Library  School  which  he  had  asked  the  director  to  prepare 
tor  the  use  of  the  library  committee. 

[Director's  report] 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Regents  on  January  12,  1889,  the  secre- 
tary read  the  letter  from  Acting  President  Drisler  of  Columbia 
College  consenting  to  the  transfer  of  the  libra rv  school,  and  gave 
oral  explanations  of  the  work  of  the  school,  after  which  the  fol- 
lowing resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted: 

Resolved,  That  this  Board  approves  the  plan  submitted  by  the 
Director  of  the  State  Library  for  training  librarians  and  cata- 
logers  in  connection  with  the  work  of  the  library,  giving  them 
instruction  and  supervision  instead  of  salary  for  services  rendered 
to  the  library. 

Resolved,  That  the  Director  of  the  Library  be  authorized  to 
employ  such  assistants  as  are  found  best  fitted  for  the  work  and 
are  willing  to  give  their  services  for  a  satisfactory  time  without 
other  compensation  than  the  instruction  and  supervision  fur- 
nished by  the  library. 

Resolved,  That  this  Board  accepts  the  proposition  submitted 
by  the  trustees  of  Columbia  College  through  its  committee  on 
course  and  statutes  and  its  acting  president  to  transfer  to  the 
State  Library  the  system  of  training  conducted  for  the  last  three 
years  in  Columbia  College  under  the  name  of  the  Columbia 
College  School  of  Library  Economy. 

Resolved,  That  the  library  committee  be  directed  to  submit 
to  a  later  meeting  of  this  Board  a  complete  scheme  for  conduct- 
ing this  library  training  as  a  permanent  feature  of  the  State 
Library. 

Under  the  authority  thus  given,  the  Director  of  the  Library  about 
April  1st  received  from  Columbia  College  the  entire  collection  of 
books,  pamphlets,  appliances  and  other  collections  bought  or  given 
to  the  library  school.  With  the  close  of  the  winter  term  on  March 
30th,  the  Columbia  authorities  carried  out  their  agreement  to  trans- 
fer the  system  of  training  to  the  State  Library,  by  formally  discon- 
tinuing the  school  and  after  settling  all  its  accounts  by  transferring 
#548.05  to  the  Regents,  this  sum  being  the  total  balance  on  hand 
received  from  tuition  fees  after  deducting  all  incidental  expenses  of 


19 

the  school,  for  which  expenses  no  payments  were  ever  made  from 
the  college  treasury.   .  .  . 

Over  twenty  applications  have  already  been  received  for  admission 
to  our  training  class  next  October,  so  we  shall  be  able  to  select  the 
best  from  a  large  number,   thus  ensuring  a  high  grade  of  students. 

The  first  term  has  of  necessity  been  an  experiment  as  so  many  of 
the  conditions  were  new.  That  experiment  has  however  proved  an 
entire  success.  It  has  been  found  that  the  State  Library  in  its 
organization  and  appointments,  rooms  and  other  facilities  is  much 
better  adapted  to  this  work  than  was  the  Columbia  College  library. 
It  has  also  been  made  clear  that  the  services  of  the  pupils  can  be  used 
in  our  library  to  excellent  advantage,  so  that  it  will  be  practicable  to 
carry  on  the  school  successfully  without  asking  any  large  appropria- 
tion for  its  support.  With  the  great  amount  of  cataloging  and  other 
work  to  be  done  in  our  great  library,  this  apprentice  help  can  be  used 
here  to  much  better  advantage  than  at  Columbia,  where  nevertheless 
the  school  proved  a  marked  success  without  a  dollar  from  the  treasury 
for  its  support.  All  its  expenses  were  paid  by  the  fees  of  $50  for 
each  pupil  and  at  the  end  of  the  three  years  a  balance  of  nearly  #600 
was  left  with  the  college  treasurer,  which  has  now  been  transferred 
to  the  Regents  for  the  use  of  the  school. 

This  experience  makes  it  perfectly  safe  for  the  Regents  to  make  this 
training  a  permanent  feature  of  the  State  Library,  which  under  the 
new  law  is  an  integral  part  of  the  University.  Such  a  course  is  justi- 
fied by  the  warm  approval  with  which  the  plan  has  been  received 
and  by  the  evidence  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  also  from 
abroad,  that  the  school  is  doing  an  urgently  needed  educational 
work  which,  if  it  be  maintained  and  developed  to  meet  the  growing 
demands,  will  bring  great  credit  to  the  University.  In  addition  to 
the  many  commendations  in  the  press  and  from  individuals,  the  most 
noteworthy  since  the  last  meeting  is  the  hearty  indorsement  by  the 
American  Library  Association  at  its  national  convention  held  in 
St  Louis,  May  8th-uth.  As  this  association  represents  all  the 
leading  librarians  of  the  country  its  action  seems  entitled  to  be  sub- 
mitted in  full. 

[Extract  from  official  minutes  of  American  Library  Association] 

After  further  approval  from  prominent  members  the  resolu- 
tion for  a  standing  committee  was  adopted  unanimously. 

Later  in  the  session  the  committee  on  resolutions  introduced 
the  following  which  was  unanimously  adopted: 

Resolved,  That  the  American  Library  Association  hereby  ex- 
presses its  high  appreciation  of  the  action  of  the  Regents  of  the 
University  of  the  State  of  New  York,  in  continuing  the  School 
of  Library  Economy;  and  with  a  desire  to  aid  in  securing  the 
greatest  efficiency  of  the  school,  the  Library  Association  appoints 
a  committee  of  three  as  a  committee  of  correspondence  with  the 
authorities  of  the  school.  Said  committee  is  hereby  instructed 
to  inquire  in  what  way  they  can  be  of  service  in  promoting  the 


20 

objects  for  which  the  school  is  conducted,  and  to  render  such 
service  to  the  extent  of  their  power. 

The  committee  elected  was:  Prof.  R.  C.  Davis,  librarian,  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan;  Rev.  E.  C.  Richardson,  librarian,  Hartford 
Theological  Seminary;  Miss  C.  M.  Hewins,  librarian,  Hartford 
Library. 

The  school  is  no  longer  an  experiment  but  a  conspicuous  success, 
sure,  if  properly  maintained,  to  accomplish  great  good  and  to  win 
widespread  approval  for  the  practical  work  of  the  Regents.  It  is 
to  meet  no  prospective  or  imaginary  demand  but  one  that  is  already 
real  and  beyond  its  capacity  to  supply.  Still  more  important,  its 
development  does  not  involve  the  labor  and  mistakes  incident  to 
most  new  enterprises,  for  its  period  of  first  experiments  has  been 
successfully  passed  at  Columbia  and  it  is  our  good  fortune  to  have 
with  us  on  our  stafF  nearly  even'  person  who  contributed  in  any  con- 
siderable degree  to  that  success. 

Finally,  so  long  as  necessary,  the  school  can  be  creditably  carried 
on  without  special  appropriation  from  the  Legislature,  though  of 
course  it  is  desirable  that  a  small  sum  should  each  year  be  placed  at 
its  disposal. 

In  view  of  these  unusual  facts  the  Director  of  the  Library  feels  it 
his  duty  to  urge  on  the  Regents,  through  their  library  committee,  the 
wisdom  of  such  action  as  shall  insure  a  healthy,  normal  growth  of 
the  important  educational  interest  which  has  thus  been  committed 
to  their  care. 

Your  honorable  committee  was  directed  by  a  resolution  January 
12,  1889,  to  submit  to  a  larger  meeting  a  complete  scheme  for  making 
the  system  of  training  librarians  a  permanent  feature  of  the  State 
Library.  After  very  careful  consideration  and  consultation  with 
many  eminent  librarians  specially  interested  in  the  subject,  the 
director  recommends  the  following  plan  for  your  approval: 

1  That  the  system  of  training  maintained  by  Columbia  College 
for  the  past  few  years  under  the  name  of  the  Columbia  College  School 
of  Library  Economy,  which,  under  authority  of  the  Regents,  was  on 
April  1st  transferred  to  the  State  Library  and  which  has  been  suc- 
cessfully carried  on  during  the  few  months  past,  shall  be  made  a  per- 
manent feature  of  the  State  Library  to  be  known  as  the  "  Library 
School." 

2  That  the  school  may  occupy,  for  immediate  instruction  or  other 
purposes,  so  much  as  may  be  needed  of  the  director's  room  and  the 
room  adjoining  on  the  third  floor  of  the  library,  or,  at  the  option  of 
the  library  committee,  any  rooms  on  the  fourth  or  fifth  floors,  occu- 
pancy of  which  will  not  interfere  with  the  rights  of  readers  or  with 
the  regular  work  of  the  library. 

3  That  the  money  paid  as  tuition  fees  or  given  to  the  school  shall 
be  devoted  solely  to  its  use  and  special  expenses,  and  that  no  charge 
be  made  for  the  use  of  the  rooms,  the  books  or  other  facilities  pro- 
vided for  officers  and  readers  of  the  State  Library;  but  that  so  long 
as  the  Legislature  makes  no  appropriation  for  the  support  of  the 


I 


21 

school,  its  pupils  are  to  expect  no  further  expenditure,  and  only  such 
time  from  the  officers  of  the  library  as  may  be  a  fair  equivalent  for 
the  services  rendered  the  library  by  the  pupils  in  their  work  under 
supervision. 

4  That  the  director  be  authorized  to  arrange  for  such  lectures  and 
other  instruction,  outside  that  given  by  the  library  staff,  as  may  be 
volunteered  or  paid  for  out  of  the  money  received  from  the  pupils 
or  other  sources  for  the  benefit  of  the  school. 

5  That,  inasmuch  as  the  school  is  not  a  charge  on  the  treasury  of 
the  State,  pupils  from  other  states  who  pass  the  examinations  for 
admission  required  from  residents  of  this  State,  may  be  admitted  on 
the  payment  of  such  fee,  not  exceeding  $ioo  a  year,  as  may  be  neces- 
sary to  cover  the  special  school  expenses  of  the  year;  for  the  residents 
of  this  State,  the  annual  fee  shall  not  exceed  #50,  and  both  these  fees 
may  be  modified  or  remitted  in  special  cases  by  the  library  committee. 

6  That  instruction  be  given  for  five  days  of  each  week  from  October 
to  June  of  each  year,  except  legal  holidays  and  Christmas  recess. 

7  That  the  subjects  studied  be  as  follows,  subject  to  modification 
for  reasons  satisfactory  to  the  director: 

JUNIOR  YEAR 

1st  October-23d  December:  12  weeks'  instruction  in  cataloging, 
accessioning  and  elementary  library  economy.     One  lecture  daily. 

24th  December-2d  January:  10  days  Christmas  recess. 

January:  4  weeks  on  dictionary  cataloging,  with  1  lecture  daily. 

February:  4  weeks  on  classification,  with  1  lecture  daily. 

March  and  April:  2  months  on  library  economy,  with  3  lectures 
daily. 

May  and  June:  apprenticeship  work  in  State  Library  and  visits 
with  teachers  to  other  libraries. 

July,  August  and  September:  vacation. 

SENIOR  YEAR 

During  9  months,  October-June,  2  hours  daily  work  for  State 
Library  under  supervision.     Also  1  hour  daily  as  follows: 

Mondays:  seminar,  under  M.  S.  Cutler. 
Tuesdays:  bibliography,  under  W.  S.  Biscoe. 
Wednesdays:  cataloging,  under  M.  S.  Cutler. 
Thursdays:  classification,  under  W.  S.  Biscoe. 
Fridays:  library  economy,  under  director. 

Also  special  instruction  as  follows: 

October:  advanced  classification. 
November:  advanced  library  economy. 
December:  advanced  classification. 
January:  advanced  cataloging. 
February:  advanced  dictionary  cataloging. 
March  and  April:  advanced  library  economy. 
May  and  June:  advanced  work  in  the  library. 


22 

8  That  the  department  of  Regents  examinations  shall,  at  such 
intervals  as  may  seem  to  the  officers  expedient,  conduct  examinations 
in  bibliography,  library  economy,  cataloging  and  classification,  and 
shall  award  to  those  who  satisfactorily  pass  the  same,  suitable  pass 
cards,  certificates  and  diplomas,  generally  corresponding  to  those 
awarded  for  other  studies. 

9  That  there  be  established  by  the  Regents,  to  be  conferred  only 
on  conditions  to  be  hereafter  prescribed,  the  degrees  of  B.L.S.  and 
M.L.S.  on  examination  and,  causa  honoris,  D.L.S.  for  bachelor, 
master  and  doctor  of  library  science. 

10  That  the  secretary  be  authorized,  on  application  from  any 
school,  library  or  museum  which  either  is  or  applies  to  become  a 
member  of  the  University,  to  detail  one  of  the  staff  to  visit  and  give 
needed  advice  and  assistance  in  starting  or  reorganizing  the  same, 
provided  that  the  necessary  traveling  and  hotel  expenses  shall  be 
borne  by  the  institution  asking  the  service. 

11  That  the  office  include  in  the  annual  report  full  information  as 
to  the  library  school,  and  reprint  in  separate  form,  such  parts  as  are 
needed  for  wider  circulation. 

12  That  the  receipt  of  gifts  to  be  disbursed  as  fellowships,  scholar- 
ships or  otherwise  to  deserving  students  in  the  library  school,  be 
authorized,  provided  that  such  receipt  and  distribution  shall  be  in 
accordance  with  the  rules  made  by  the  Regents  or  the  library 
committee. 

13  That  for  the  double  purpose  of  securing  better  services  for  the 
State  Library,  and  to  encourage  higher  attainments  among  library 
pupils,  the  Chancellor  be  authorized  to  appoint  the  most  successful 
students  from  the  school  as  junior  assistants  in  the  State  Library,  so 
far  as  the  needs  of  the  library  may  require  and  the  appropriations 
for  salaries  allow,  and  graduates  so  appointed  may  be  reported  as 
holding  State  Library  fellowships,  and  undergraduates  as  holding 
State  Library  scholarships.  At  least  one  fellowship  yielding  $500  a 
year  shall  be  assigned  to  that  graduate  standing  highest  and  passing 
the  best  competitive  examination  therefor,  and  at  least  one  scholar- 
ship of  the  value  of  $100,  $150,  $200,  ^250,  or  $300  as  may  be  deter- 
mined in  each  case  shall  be  assigned  similarly  each  vear  to  that  under- 
graduate in  the  school,  who,  besides  excelling  in  scholarship,  can 
render  in  addition  to  school  duties,  services  in  the  library  of  the  value 
of  the  scholarship  assigned. 

Respectfully  submitted 

Melvil  Dewey 

Director 
New  York  State  Library,  10  July,  1889 

After  discussion  of  the  above  report  it  was  unanimously 

Resolved,  That  the  Hoard  has  heard  with  satisfaction  the  report  of 
the  director,  touching  the  school  for  the  education  of  librarians  in 
connection  with  the  State  Library,  and  without  committing  itself  to 
the  details  set  forth  in  the  report  approves  the  general  action  of  the 


23 

director  in  the  premises  as  well  as  the  continuance  of  the  same,  pro- 
vided no  financial  liability  on  the  part  of  the  State  be  incurred. 

(Regents  minutes,  page  548.) 

These  recommendations,  with  verbal  changes,  were 
formally  adopted  at  the  Regents  meeting  of  February  12, 
1891,  but  the  original  draft  is  given  here  as  giving  clearer 
light  on  the  earliest  steps  that  led  to  the  formal  announce- 
ments in  the  printed  circulars. 

December  10,  1890,  the  Regents  on  recommendation  of 
the  director  voted  (Regents  minutes,  page  39) : 

Report  on  Library  School.  That  the  director  append  to  the  report 
of  the  library  for  1890  such  a  statement  as  may  be  necessary  to  give 
the  Regents  and  the  public  a  clear  idea  of  the  work  and  methods  of 
the  Library  School. 

Library  instruction.  That  in  view  of  the  growing  importance  of 
providing  trained  librarians  and  assistants  for  the  libraries  of  the 
State,  the  director  be  authorized  to  allow  such  of  the  library  staff" 
as  may  be  fitted  for  the  work,  to  give  a  part  of  their  regular  hours  to 
instruction  of  those  who  expect  to  become  librarians. 

Vice  director  of  Library  School.  That  Mary  S.  Cutler,  who  has 
from  the  first  been  the  director's  assistant  in  charge  of  the  detailed 
work  of  the  Library  School,  be  given  the  title  of  vice  director  of  the 
Library  School. 

This  completed  the  launching  of  the  new  school  and 
thereafter  the  official  votes  were  only  about  routine 
matters,  the  director  and  faculty  being  allowed  full  con- 
trol of  the  school  in  accordance  with  the  votes  already 
passed. 

It  will  be  noted  in  all  this  action  that  the  Regents, 
like  the  trustees  of  Columbia,  gave  their  hearty  approval 
to  the  new  idea,  but  coupled  with  all  their  authority  the 
provision  that  they  should  not  be  called  on  for  necessary 
expenses.  This  meant  that  the  promoters  of  the  school 
were  compelled  to  make  bricks  without  straw;  they  had 
their  regular  duties  to  perform  and  rather  than  have  the 
experiment  fail  of  trial,  without  extra  compensation 
beyond  the  supreme  pleasure  of  establishing  a  great  work, 
they  gave  their  evenings,  holidays  and  vacations  to 
unselfish,  enthusiastic  efforts  for  the  new  school. 


1883 
May       7 

August     1 6 


1884 

May 

5 

1887 
January 

5 

November 

10 

1889 
January 

12 

April        1 


April     10 
May       9 


1890 
June       9 


December     10 


QU]ronnlo0tral  Nummary 

Plan  for  a  library  school  submitted  to  trustees  of 
Columbia  College. 

First  A.  L.  A.  committee  on  "  a  school  of  library 
economy  "  appointed.  (C.  A.  Cutter,  librarian, 
Boston  Athenaeum,  chairman;  Mellen  Chamber- 
lain, librarian,  Boston  Public  Library;  B.  Pick- 
man  Mann,  librarian,  U.  S.  Dep't  of  Agriculture, 
Washington,  D.  C;  Henry  J.  Carr,  librarian, 
Grand  Rapids  (Mich.)  P.  L.;  Chester  W.  Merrill, 
librarian,  Cincinnati  (O.)  P.  L. 

Columbia  College  School  of  Library  Economy  estab- 
lished by  vote  of  trustees  of  Columbia  College. 

Columbia  College  School  of  Library  Economy  opened 
for  a  three  months'  course  (afterward  extended  to 
four  months)  with  an  attendance  of  twenty  regu- 
lar students. 

Second  year  opened  and  a  two-year  course  estab- 
lished. 

Approval  by  Regents  of  the  University  of  the  State 
of  New  York  of  plan  for  training  in  librarianship 
submitted  by  Melvil  Dewey  and  acceptance  of  the 
offer  of  the  trustees  of  Columbia  College,  to  trans- 
fer the  Columbia  College  School  of  Library  Econ- 
omy and  its  collections  to  the  New  York  State 
Library. 

Formal  transfer  of  the  school,  its  collections,  and 
money  balance  to  the  Regents  of  the  University 
of  the  State  of  New  York.  Name  changed  to  the 
New  York  State  Library  School. 

First  session  in  New  York  State  Library. 

Library  school  committee  (now  committee  on  library 
training)  made  a  standing  committee  of  the  A.  L.  A. 
(R.  C.  Davis,  librarian.  University  of  Michigan, 
chairman;  E.  C.  Richardson,  librarian,  Hartford 
(Conn.)  Theological  Seminary;  Miss  Caroline  M. 
Hewins,  librarian,  Hartford  (Conn.)  P.  L.) 

First  library  examination  under  regular  charge  of 
the  Regents  of  the  University  of  the  State  of 
New  York. 

Mary  S.  Cutler  (Mrs  Salome  Cutler  Fairchild), 
given  the  title  of  vice  director. 


24 


o  -5 


w   „ 


25 


1 891 

February      12 


July       8 


1892 
1893 


1894 

September 

21 

1896 

June 

2 

July 

7 

1897 
February 

December 

1898 
October 

12 

1899 
May 

23 

1900 
April 

4 

June 

4 

December 

10 

1902 
March 

1 

1905 
September 

22 

Rules  for  the  conduct  of  the  New  York  State  Library 
School  adopted  by  the  Regents.  Minimum  ad- 
mission requirements  fixed  at  high  school  gradua- 
tion and  degrees  of  B.L.S.,  M.L.S.  and  D.L.S. 
established. 

First  public  commencement  and  conferring  of  first 
degrees  and  diplomas  by  George  William  Curtis, 
Chancellor  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New 
York. 

Harriot  H.  Sexton  prize  of  $100  awarded  for  best 
thesis  written  by  a  woman  student  of  the  school 
on  local  public  libraries  and  university  extension. 

A.  L.  A.  comparative  library  exhibit  prepared  by  the 
New  York  State  Library  School  for  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition,  Chicago,  and  in  Decem- 
ber 1893,  added  to  the  school's  collections. 

New  York  State  Library  School  Association  organ- 
ized. 

First  lectures  (by  Mr  William  Howard  Brett)  in 
alumni  lectureship  series  established  by  the  New 
York  State  Library  School  Association. 

First  summer  course  (five  weeks)  begun. 

School  quarters  moved  from  third  floor  of  Capitol  to 

fifth  floor  (room  51). 
First  Library  School  Register  (1887-97)  issued. 

Elective  courses  first  introduced  into  senior  year. 

Summer  course  extended  from  five  to  six  weeks. 

Lecture  room  on  seventh  floor  (71)  provided  for  use 
of  Regents  and  Library  School.  School  quarters 
removed  from  room  51  (southwest  tower)  to  room 
59  (northwest  tower)  of  the  Capitol. 

Reunion  of  New  York  State,  Pratt,  Drexel  and  Illi- 
nois library  schools  in  New  York  State  Library. 

A.  L.  A.  exhibit  prepared  by  New  York  State  Library 
for  Paris  Exposition  of  1900  deposited  with  the 
Library  School  collections. 

Admission  to  regular  standing  limited  to  graduates 
of  registered  colleges. 

Resignation  of  Mrs  Salome  Cutler  Fairchiid  as  vice 
director  of  the  Library  School. 


26 


1905 

December 


14  Resolution  adopted  by  the  Regents  of  the  University 
of  the  State  of  New  York  announcing  their  pur- 
pose to  continue  the  Library  School  and  its  estab- 
lishment as  a  separate  division  of  the  Education 
Department. 

1      Resignation  of  Melvil   Dewey  as  director  and   ap- 
pointment of  Edwin  H.  Anderson  as  director  and 
of  James  I.  Wyer,  Jr  as  vice  director  of  the  Library 
School  take  effect. 
June     16     First  M.L.S.  degree  conferred. 


1906 
January 


1908 
June 

1 

October 

1 

March 

29 

1911 
March 

3° 

September 

18 

1912 
August 

26 

October 
October  14 

2 
-15 

Resignation  of  Edwin  H.  Anderson  and  appointment 
of  James  I.  Wyer,  Jr  as  director  of  the  New  York 
State  Library  and  Library  School  take  effect. 

Frank  K.  Walter  appointed  vice  director  of  the 
Library  School. 

Destruction  of  the  New  York  State  Library  and 
Library  School  quarters  by  fire. 

School  exercises  resumed  in  the  State  Normal  College. 
School  quarters  temporarily  removed  to  Guild  House 
of  Cathedral  of  All  Saints. 

School   quarters   in   new   State   Education   Building 

occupied. 
First  session  in  the  new  school  quarters. 
Reunion  of  former  students   and  visiting  librarians 

and  dedication  of  State  Education  Building. 


^  s 


Summer  ^PBatott 

Corinne  Bacon  '03,  Librarian,  Drexel  Institute  Library, 
and  Director,  Drexel  Institute  Library  School 

The  New  York  State  Library  School  offered  its  first 
summer  course  in  1896. 

The  aim  of  this  summer  school  was  then,  as  it  is  now, 
to  offer  to  librarians  of  small  libraries  and  to  assistants 
in  larger  libraries,  who  felt  the  limitations  of  their  lack 
of  training,  a  short  course  which  would  broaden  their 
outlook  and  make  them  more  efficient  library  workers. 
Since  the  second  year,  only  librarians  or  assistants  already 
in  positions  or  under  appointment  to  paid  positions  have 
been  considered  eligible  for  entrance.  At  one  time  a 
year's  experience  in  a  library  was  required  for  admission. 
Library  interests  would  suffer  seriously  if  those  having 
no  library  experience  should  be  allowed  to  take  a  six 
weeks'  course  and  to  think  that  they  were  thus  fully  pre- 
pared for  professional  service.  It  has  seemed  wise  of 
late  years  not  to  refuse  training  to  inexperienced  workers 
already  appointed  to  paid  positions.  This  is  quite  dif- 
ferent from  allowing  all  who  wished  to  do  so  to  take  the 
six  weeks'  training  in  order  to  secure  positions. 

In  planning  the  courses,  the  needs  of  the  workers  in 
the  smaller  libraries,  and  more  especially  in  the  smaller 
libraries  of  New  York  State,  have  been  given  the  prefer- 
ence. 

Because  of  lack  of  accommodations  or  of  instructors, 
it  has  often  been  necessary  to  limit  the  number  of 
summer  students.  A  large  school  with  few  instructors 
does  not  result  in  the  most  profit  to  each  individual 
student.  Summer  school  students  differ  so  widely  in 
age,  education,  ability,  and  even  in  library  experience, 
that  any  collective  handling  of  them  will  fail  of  the 
utmost  profit  unless  supplemented  by  many  personal 
interviews.  When  it  has  been  necessary  to  limit  the 
number  admitted,   preference  has  always  been  given  to 

27 


28 

librarians  from  New  York  State.  No  charge  for  instruc- 
tion has  been  made  to  New  Yorkers.  To  others,  a  fee 
of  $20  has  been  charged  for  the  general  course,  while 
special  charges  have  been  made  for  shorter  courses. 

Entrance  examinations  have  not  been  required.  At 
first,  candidates  were  expected  to  have  completed  a 
full  high  school  course  or  its  equivalent,  as  a  minimum 
of  general  education.  Of  late  years  even  this  educa- 
tional requirement  has  been  dropped  so  far  as  librarians 
from  New  York  State  are  concerned,  though  still  enforced 
upon  those  coming  from  other  states. 

Thirteen  sessions  of  the  summer  school  have  been 
held,  beginning  in  1896  and  ending  in  1910.  The  ses- 
sion of  1897  was  omitted  because  of  the  confusion  and 
labor  incident  to  the  transfer  of  the  regular  library  school 
to  its  new  quarters  on  the  fifth  floor  of  the  State  Capitol, 
and  because  of  the  absence  of  several  of  the  State  Library 
staff  at  the  International  Library  Congress  in  London. 
No  session  was  held  in  1906  because  of  the  illness  and 
subsequent  resignation  of  Mrs  Salome  C.  Fairchild,  who 
was  to  have  been  in  charge  of  the  special  course  in  selec- 
tion of  books,  announced  for  that  year. 

The  omission  of  the  summer  sessions  of  191 1  and  1912 
was  due  to  the  fire  of  191 1  which  left  the  State  Library 
sorely  crippled  in  regard  to  proper  accommodations. 

The  course  has  usually  covered  six  weeks.  The  three 
exceptions  to  this  were  in  1896  (5  weeks),  1898  (between 
4  and  5  weeks),  1902  (between  5  and  6  weeks). 

The  first  summer  school  was  held  from  July  7th  to 
August  10th,  1896.  Seven  of  the  succeeding  sessions 
began  in  May  and  five  early  in  June.  This  change  in 
date  was  made  for  three  reasons:  (1)  the  faculty  of 
the  State  Library  School  and  others  in  charge  of  depart- 
ments of  the  State  Library,  many  of  whom  would  be 
away  during  July  and  August,  would  be  on  hand  to  lec- 
ture or  to  hold  personal  consultations  with  students; 
(2)  outside  lecturers  could  be  heard  by  both  the  regular 
Library  School  and  the  summei  school;  (3)  summer 
school  students  would  have  the  chance  to  meet  the  stu- 
dents in  the  regular  course,  which  was  likely  to  prove 
of  advantage  to  both. 


29 


The  following  instructors  have  been  in  charge  of  the 
school: 

1896   Myrtilla  Avery Class  of  1895 

1898    Harriet  Howard  Stanley Class  of  1895 

1 899-1900   Mary  Floyd  Williams Class  of  1899 

1901-03    Mary  Louisa  Sutliff Class  of  1893 

*  4"     -*  >Corinne  Bacon Class  of  1903 

1907-10)  y  J 

The  lectures  have  been  given  by  the  faculty  of  the 
Library  School  and  other  regular  members  of  the  State 
Library  staff,  and  by  visiting  librarians. 

Three  hundred  and  fourteen  students  have  attended 
the  13  sessions.  Of  these,  19  were  men  and  295  women. 
One  hundred  and  ninety-six  came  from  libraries  in  New 
York  State  and  118  from  libraries  in  other  states.  Of 
this  latter  number,  Massachusetts  led  with  19  students; 
Ohio  sent  14;  Indiana  10;  Connecticut  9;  Pennsylvania 
7;  Iowa,  Illinois,  New  Jersey,  Texas  and  Virginia  5 
each;  Missouri,  Tennessee  and  Washington,  D.  C.  4 
each;  Michigan  3;  California,  Georgia,  Kentucky,  Minne- 
sota, Vermont  and  Washington  (state)  2  each;  Alabama, 
Delaware,  Louisiana,  Maine,  Maryland,  New  Hamp- 
shire and  Wisconsin  1  each. 

Four  summer  students  afterward    entered  the  regular 

Summary  of  Attendance 


TOTAL 

ATTEND 

ANCE 


FROM 

WOMEN 

NEW 

YORK 

20 

II 

14 

8 

17 

9 

25 

16 

20 

7 

28 

22 

19 

1 1 

15 

9 

5 

2 

36 

33 

4i 

27 

27 

20 

28 

21 

FROM 
OTHER 
STATES 


1896. 
I898. 
I899. 
I9OO. 
I90I. 
I902. 


General. 
General . 
General. 
General . 
General . 
General . 


1903 I   Cataloging  and  classification 


1904. 

1905. 
1907. 
1908. 

1909. 
1910. 


Totals  13 


Bibliography  and  reference 
work 

Administration 

General 

General  and  two  special 
courses 

General 

Two  special  courses  (con- 
secutive)   


21 

IS 
20 

28 
20 
32 
20 

15 

S 
39 

4i 


30 


3H 


?9 


295 


196 


10 

7 
1 1 
12 

13 
10 

9 


14 

8 

9 
118 


Four  plans  have  been  tried  in  arranging  summer 
school  courses,  (i)  The  general  course  (1896-1902, 
1907-9)  covering  classification,  book  numbers,  cata- 
loging, trade  bibliography,  reference  work,  accession- 
ing, shelflisting,  bookbinding,  loan  systems,  book  selec- 
tion and  ordering,  rooms  and  fittings,  administration  of 
a  small  library.  The  ground  covered  has  varied  some- 
what in  different  years  as  to  the  number  of  subjects 
covered  and  the  length  of  time  given  to  each.  (2)  The 
special  course  (1903-5)  with  one  or  two  subjects  run- 
ning through  the  entire  session.  (3)  General  and  special 
courses  (1908).  (4)  Special  courses,  consecutive,  three 
weeks  each  (1910). 

It  is  mpossible  to  state  here  the  number  of  lectures 
given  and  names  of  lecturers  for  each  year  of  the  general 
course.  In  1909,  which  may  be  considered  a  typical 
year,  85  lectures  were  given,  39  of  which  required  from 
2  to  4  hours  technical  work  in  connection  with  them. 
Other  lectures  called  for  collateral  reading  or  examina- 
tion of  library  material.     The  subjects  were  as  follows: 


SUBJECTS 

Cataloging 

Classification  and  book  numbers 

Book  selection 

Principles 

Aids 

Morality  in  fiction 

10  novels  of  1909 

7  recent  books  on  sociological  topics. 

A.  L.  A.  booklist 

Some  interesting  biographies 

N.  Y.  S.  L.  best  books  list 

Editions 

Publishers  (3) 

Administration 

Reference 

Work  with 


hildren . 


Trade  bibliography 

Rooms  and  fittings 

Loan  work 

Shelflisting 

Accessioning 

Bookbinding 

Government  documents 

The  State  Library 

Mending 

Work  of  the  Division  of  Visual  Instruction 

Work  of  the  Division  of  Educational  Extension. 


NUMBER  OF 
LECTURES 

19 
12 


LECTURERS 

Miss  Bacon 
Miss  Hawkins 
Miss  Bacon 


Miss  Bascom 
Mrs  Harron 
Miss  Wheeler 


j  Miss  Brown  8 
)  Mr  Wyer  1 
Mr  Walter 
I  Miss  Lyman  4 
|  Miss  Eaton  1 
Mi   Hiscoe 
Mr  Eastman 
Miss  Bacon 

Miss  Rhodes 

Mi  Walter 

Mi  Wyer 
ft 

Miss  Crissey 
Mr  Abrams 
Mr  Eastman 


3i 

NUMBER   OK 
SUBJECTS  .„,»„„.,.„  LECTURERS 

J  LECTURES 

The  psychological  moment i  Miss  Freeman 

Ideals  of  librarianship I  Mr  Wynkoop 

Book-buying i  Mr  Peck 

The  library  in  a  small  town  as  the  center  of  educational 

activities I  " 

Albany i  Miss  Wheeler 

In  1903,  the  following  announcement  was  made: 

'  To  meet  the  growing  demand  from  librarians  unable 
to  afford  the  time  and  expense  of  the  two-year  course, 
we  offer  instruction  in  rotation  in  three  great  groups  of 
subjects:  administration,  cataloging  and  classification, 
reference  work  and  bibliography.  A  librarian  may  in 
this  way  take  six  weeks  of  instruction  each  summer 
.  and  so  in  four  years  take  the  general  outlook 
and  the  three  special  courses,  thus  completing  with  earnest 
work  a  very  creditable  course.  .  .  .  It  is  possible 
that  in  future  the  general  course  may  be  given  up  and 
students  desiring  it  referred  to  the  Chautauqua  Summer 
Library  School."     (Handbook,   1903,  pages  269-70.) 

It  was  afterward  proposed  to  give  a  fourth  special 
course  on  selection  of  books,  but  this  was  omitted  because 
of  Mrs  Fairchild's  illness. 

A  return  to  the  general  course  brought  us,  in  1907, 
39  students,  33  of  whom  were  New  Yorkers,  and  in  1908, 
41  students,  26  of  whom  were  New  Yorkers.  In  1908, 
a  special  course  in  work  with  children  was  also  given, 
but  the  majority  of  the  New  Yorkers  elected  the  general 
course. 

These  figures  seemed  to  show  that  we  could  best  serve 
the  libraries  of  our  own  State  by  offering  a  general 
course,  supplemented  by  special  courses. 

Special  courses  in  reference  work  and  in  selection  of 
books  were  offered  in  1908,  but  so  few  students  applied 
for  these  subjects  that  the  courses  were  not  given. 

In  1909,  a  general  course  was  announced,  also  special 
courses  in  reference  work  and  government  documents. 
Again  such  a  small  number  of  students  applied  for  the 
special  courses  that  they  were  not  given. 

In  1910,  a  fourth  plan  was  tried.  Two  consecutive 
courses  were  offered,  each  to  last  three  weeks.     Students 


might  enter  for  either  course  or  for  both.  This  accom- 
modated those  librarians  who  could  not  take  more  than 
three  weeks  for  study,  and  yet  enabled  those  who  could 
take  six  weeks  to  cover  more  varied  ground  than  in  the 
special  course  of  previous  years.  Those  who  took  both 
lines  of  work  covered  all  the  subjects  treated  at  length 
in  the  general  course  except  administration,  selection  of 
books  and  work  with  children,  and  covered  more  ground 
in  reference,  government  documents  and  bibliography 
than  had  heretofore  been  possible  in  the  general  course. 

This  plan  appeared  to  work  well  and  the  faculty  were 
considering  the  advisability  of  giving  the  general  course 
(announced  for  191 1)  every  other  year,  with  special 
courses  in  the  alternate  years,  when  the  fire  put  an  end, 
temporarily,  to  summer  school  work. 

In  closing  this  account  of  one  of  the  most  interesting 
and  important  activities  of  the  State  Library,  three 
tributes  are  due. 

A  tribute  of  appreciation  should  be  given  to  the  314 
students  whose  faithful  work  and  unfailing  enthusiasm 
made  the  hours  of  teaching  them  a  pleasure.  Only 
those  who  have  tried  it  know  what  it  means  to  give  all 
of  one's  vacation  to  hard  work  in  hot  weather,  as  did 
many  of  these  students.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  this 
will  not  be  necessary  in  so  many  cases  in  the  future. 
Much  is  being  written  of  efficiency  and  of  scientific 
management.  Library  efficiency  means  a  trained  and 
rested  librarian,  and  trustees  who  manage  their  libraries 
scientifically  must  come  to  realize  both  the  necessity 
of  training  and  of  playtime. 

One  of  the  best  known  librarians  in  New  York  State, 
without  lectures  from  whom  no  summer  school  seemed 
complete,  will  be  greatly  missed  in  future  sessions.  Mr 
A.  L.  Peck's  unconventional,  terse,  stimulating  way  of 
putting  things,  his  unfailing  humor,  his  spirit  of  help- 
fulness to  those  in  small  libraries  will  never  be  forgotten 
by  those  who  heard  him. 

And  last,  but  not  least,  to  Mr  William  R.  Eastman, 
for  twenty  years  a  member  of  the  State  Library  staff, 
is  due  from  the  instructors  in  charge  of  the  summer 
school,  as  well  as  from  its  many  students,  a  measure 
of  appreciation  and  gratitude   that  is  hard  to  put  into 


33 

words.  Mr  Eastman's  knowledge  of  the  problems  of 
the  smaller  libraries,  his  sympathy  with  their  many  diffi- 
culties, his  youthful  enthusiasm,  his  desire  for  the  suc- 
cess of  a  school  which  would  give  the  untrained  librarian 
a  broader  view  of  her  work,  as  well  as  help  to  solve  her 
technical  difficulties,  has  contributed  in  a  very  large 
degree  to  such  success  as  the  school  has  so  far  attained. 


£mu  $nrk  $5>t<\ti  ICtbrarrj  ^rljool  Aasnnation 

Bessie   Sargeant  Smith  '97,   Supervisor  of  Smaller 
Branches  Cleveland  (0.)   Public  Library 

As  the  number  of  the  alumni  of  the  New  York  State 
Library  School  increased  and  the  influence  of  the  school 
became  more  far-reaching,  a  desire  was  expressed  by 
many  of  the  graduates  that  there  might  be  some  tan- 
gible means  by  which  the  mutual  relations  of  alumni 
and  school  should  be  strengthened.  This  desire  brought 
definite  results  in  September  1894,  when  a  meeting 
of  several  students  was  held  at  Lake  Placid  during 
the  conference  of  the  American  Library  Association. 
At  this  time  a  committee  consisting  of  one  member  from 
each  class  was  selected  to  consider  the  advisability 
of  forming  a  permanent  association.  After  a  few  days 
Mr  J.  L.  Harrison,  the  chairman,  reported  that  this 
committee  was  in  favor  of  such  an  association  and  read 
a  constitution  which  the  committee  had  drafted.  This 
constitution  was  adopted,  an  association  formed  and  Miss 
Katharine  L.  Sharp  formally  elected  as  its  first  president. 
Despite  its  substantial  and  enthusiastic  beginning  the 
association  maintained  a  passive  existence  for  a  few  years 
until  Miss  Isabel  E.  Lord  was  chosen  secretary-treasurer, 
when  it  took  on  new  vigor.  Much  of  the  present  firm 
basis  upon  which  the  organization  stands  is  due  to  the 
thought  given  it  during  the  years  of  Miss  Lord's  service. 

The  association  was  formed  with  three  objects  in 
view:  to  promote  social  intercourse  among  its  members, 
to  advance  the  interests  of  the  New  York  State  Library 
School  and  to  cooperate  in  the  work  of  the  American 
Library  Association.  In  its  second  year  the  associa- 
tion showed  definitely  its  very  real  wish  to  fulfil  these 
objects  in  its  decision  to  establish  an  alumni  lecture- 
ship at  the  school.  The  lectures  were  to  be  delivered 
by  persons  of  high  professional  standing  who  should  be 
selected  by  the  executive  committee  of  the  association 
after  consultation  with  the  school  faculty.     The  subjects 

34 


35 

of  the  lectures  were  designed  to  be  of  special  interest 
to  undergraduates  and  were  determined  upon  by  the 
persons  giving  them.  The  following  year,  1896,  Miss  Ada 
Alice  Jones,  chairman  of  the  committee,  reported  at  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  association  that  Mr  W.  H.  Brett 
had  been  selected  for  the  first  of  the  alumni  lecturers 
and  that  the  time  of  his  stay  at  the  school  had  been  the 
occasion  of  both  pleasure  and  profit  for  the  students. 
Other  lectures  on  the  alumni  foundation  were  given  by 
Mr  C.  W.  Andrews,  who  discussed  the  subject  of  bibliog- 
raphy; Doctor  E.  C.  Richardson,  who  gave  some  unusually 
scholarly  lectures  on  classification,  which  have  since 
appeared  in  book  form;  Mr  W.  D.  Orcutt,  so  well  fitted 
to  speak  on  the  special  subject  of  fine  printing;  Miss 
Isabel  E.  Lord;  Mr  F.  A.  Hutchins;  and  Mr  J.  I.  Wyer,  Jr.1 
The  undergraduates  hearing  these  lectures  expressed 
the  unanimous  opinion  that  they  had  been  well  worth 
while  and  that  they  had  brought  fresh  viewpoints  from 
outside.  Much  regret  therefore  was  manifested  when 
it  seemed  wise  to  discontinue  this  arrangement,  but  after 
careful  consideration  and  consultation  with  the  faculty 
it  was  deemed  expedient  to  use  whatever  funds  were 
at  the  disposal  of  the  association  in  ways  more  needed. 
This  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  a  student  loan  fund 
to  be  drawn  upon  for  the  benefit  of  good  students  in 
need  of  some  financial  assistance  to  finish  their  second 
year  at  the  school.  The  distribution  of  the  fund  was 
made  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  faculty.  By 
this  means  the  association  hoped  to  further  good  librarian- 
ship  and  add  excellent  librarians  to  the  profession. 
Assistance  thus  offered  has  been  requested  to  a  limited 
degree  only,  but  in  each  instance  has  been  given  with 
profit  and  received  with  expressions  of  appreciation. 

In  1900,  to  give  further  evidence  of  interest  in  the 
school,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  ascertain  facts 
regarding  the  instruction  and  work  in  the  library  school 
and  to  report  the  following  year.  At  the  next  meeting 
the  chairman  of  the  committee,  Miss  Edith  E.  Clarke,  pre- 
sented a  report  which  had  been  compiled  after  much 
careful   investigation.     It  was   then   voted    to   continue 


1  A  full  list  of  lecturers  and  subjects  is  given  on  pages  37-38. 


36 

this  work  under  an  advisory  board  whose  purpose  should 
be  "  to  learn  the  condition  of  affairs  in  the  New  York 
State  Library  School,  to  obtain  the  opinion  of  former 
students  regarding  its  work  and  interests  and  to  suggest 
any  changes  or  improvements  that  may  seem  to  them 
advisable."  This  close-range  inspection  of  the  various 
courses  given  has  enabled  members  of  the  advisory  board 
from  their  own  actual  experiences  in  the  field  to  offer 
many  suggestions.  On  their  recommendation  certain 
changes  have  been  made:  a  more  adequate  course  of 
instruction  in  public  documents  has  been  added  to  the 
curriculum  and  has  proved  advantageous;  the  instruc- 
tion in  cataloging  has  been  adapted  to  meet  more  fully 
the  demands  of  public  library  work;  the  course  in  business 
methods  has  been  enlarged  and  outside  librarians  with 
practical  experience  have  been  invited  to  lecture  on  this 
subject;  some  splendid  lectures  on  the  subject  of  binding, 
which  had  not  hitherto  been  given,  were  presented ;  lec- 
tures on  the  use  of  technical  books  have  been  included; 
the  subject  of  work  with  schools  has  been  developed  and 
the  study  of  "  the  Library  and  the  community  "  intro- 
duced as  an  elective.  Many  of  these  additions  to  the  cur- 
riculum had  been  under  advisement  by  the  faculty  but 
were  put  more  speedily  into  operation  because  of  the  sug- 
gestions of  the  advisory  board.  Our  board  always  has 
had  a  very  real  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  school  and 
it  is  because  of  mutual  confidence  that  the  relations 
between  it  and  the  faculty  have  been  most  friendly.  This 
board  has  also  accomplished  much  in  bringing  the  school 
and  its  alumni  closer  together  and  in  increasing  the  feel- 
ing of  vital  interest  in  the  work  of  the  school  on  the  part 
of  the  alumni.  A  great  deal  of  this  has  come  about 
through  the  personal  efforts  of  Mr  A.  L.  Bailey  who  for 
several  years  has  given  his  time  and  service  unstintingly 
as  chairman  of  the  board. 

An  effort  has  been  made  to  help  members  become 
acquainted  with  each  other  and  to  advance  social  inter- 
course among  them.  The  annual  dinner  has  become  a 
regular  feature  of  the  association.  This  is  held  during 
conference  week  of  the  American  Library  Association 
when  a  larger  number  of  alumni  are  gathered  together 
than  at  any  other  time,  and  without  doubt  the  circles  of 


37 


acquaintance  of  many  alumni  have  in  this  way  been 
enlarged.  The  feeling  of  esprit  de  corps  thus  fostered 
has  borne  evidence  in  the  interest  graduates  often  show 
in  the  work  of  other  graduates. 

As  a  body  the  association  has  been  always  in  the  fore 
in  seeking  to  cooperate  with  the  American  Library  Asso- 
ciation. Its  members  serve  on  various  committees  of 
the  A.  L.  A.  and  have  proved  ready  to  give  help  in  other 
ways  whenever  asked.  That  a  place  on  the  regular  pro- 
gram of  the  A.  L.  A.  is  given  our  association  is  ample 
proof  that  we  have  made  ourselves  a  body  with  force 
enough  to  be  recognized. 

While  the  growth  of  the  membership  has  not  been 
large,  it  has  been  continuous  and,  in  proportion  to  its 
possibilities,  commensurate  with  that  of  alumni  asso- 
ciations of  other  schools.  Membership  in  the  associa- 
tion is  open  to  all  former  students  who  have  been  at 
the  Library  School  at  least  one  year  and  who  pay  an 
annual  fee  of  one  dollar.  There  is  evident  in  the  asso- 
ciation an  ever  increasing  sense  of  the  responsibility  it 
owes  to  its  Alma  Mater  which  is  fundamentally  the  reason 
for  its  existence  and  to  which  each  member  looks  for 
the  highest  ideals  of  librarianship. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  lectures  of  the 
alumni  course  supported  by  the  association: 


YEAR  AND  LECTURER 

POSITION 

NO. 

SUBJECTS 

LEC. 

I896 

William  Howard  Brett  M.  A. 

Librarian 

Public    Li- 

3 

Librarianship.       Cleve- 

brarv, 

Cleveland, 

land    Public  Library. 

0. 

History 

1897 

Frederick      Morgan      Crunden 

Librarian 

Public    Li- 

O 

Withdrew  at  a  late  hour 

M.  A. 

brary, 
Mo. 

St     Louis, 

on  account  of  ill 
health 

1898 

Herbert     Putnam     B.A.  Lir.D. 

Librarian 

of      Con- 

2 

Library  buildings;   eve- 

LL.D. 

gress 

ning  lecture,  illus- 
trated. Administra- 
tion of  Boston  Public- 

1899 
Frank  Avery  Hutcnms 

Library 

Sec.    Wisconsin    Free 

3 

Work  of  the  Wisconsin 

Library 

Commis- 

Free     Library     Com- 

sion 

mission 

38 


YEAR   AND   LECTURER 


1901 

Ernest      Cushing 
M.A.  Ph.D. 


Richardson 


1902 
Clement  Walker  Andrews  M.A, 
LL.D. 

1903 
Charles  Ammi  Cutter 


1904 
William  Howard  Brett  M.  A. 


1 90S 
James  Ingersoll  Wyer,  Jr  M.L.S. 


1906 
Isabel  Ely  Lord  B.L.S. 


1907 
William  Dana  Orcutt 


Librarian      Princeton 
University  Library 


Librarian  John  Cre- 
rar  Library,  Chi- 
cago 

Librarian  Forbes  Li- 
brary, Northamp- 
ton, Mass. 


Librarian  Cleveland 
Public  Library  and 
dean  Western  Re- 
serve University 
Library   School 

Librarian  University 
of  Nebraska  Li- 
brary 


Librarian  Pratt  In- 
stitute Free  Li- 
brary, Brooklyn 


University  Press. 

Cambridge,  Mass. 


NO. 
LEC. 


Classification  theoret- 
ical and  practical: 
the  order  of  sciences; 
the  classification  of 
books.  (14+248P.  D. 
N.  Y.  1901.  Scribner 
$1.25  net) 

Guides  to  scientific 
literature 


Notes  from  the  art  sec- 
tion of  a  library. 
(22p.  O.  Bost.  1905. 
A.  L.  A.  Publishing 
Board  (Library  tract, 
No.  5)  ) 

Relations  of  the  public 
library  and  the  li- 
brary school  to  other 
educational  activities 


United  States  govern- 
ment documents. 
(78p.  O.  Albany 
1906.  (Library  School 
Bulletin  21) ) 

Some  notes  on  the  prin- 
ciples and  practice  of 
book-buying  for  li- 
braries. (i8p.  O. 
N.  Y.  191 1.  Library 
Journal) 


2      The  art  of  printing 


®ljr  2frui  fork  Bttxtt  ICtbrary  §>riiool  from  tljr  &tua?nt*B 

Point  of  Hinu 

Two  classes  of  persons  are  chiefly  responsible  for  the 
New  York  State  Library  School  and  its  influence  on 
library  work.  The  faculty,  among  whom  changes  have 
fortunately  been  few  and  usually  rather  widely  sepa- 
rated in  time,  have  been  a  continuous  body  and  it  is 
they  who  are  in  most  part  responsible  for  the  contents 
of  the  course  and  the  technical  methods  taught.  A 
general  summary  of  what  they  have  been  able  to  do  along 
these  lines  appears  in  the  annual  reports  of  the  school. 
The  school's  traditions,  its  prestige  and  its  influence  are 
largely  due  to  the  personal  and  intellectual  qualities  of 
its  students  and  their  professional  attitude  both  as  stu- 
dents and  as  active  librarians.  They  have  in  no  incon- 
siderable degree  contributed  to  the  changes  in  curriculum 
which  have  from  time  to  time  been  made  and  on  their 
continued  interest  and  cooperation  the  future  of  the 
school  will  in  large  measure  depend. 

This  chapter  has  been  devoted  to  a  series  of  articles  by 
former  students  because  of  the  students'  part  in  the  making 
of  the  school  and  because  no  chronicle  of  faculty  doings, 
or  summary  of  formal  courses  offered  or  record  of  exam- 
ination grades  can  give  an  adequate  idea  of  the  spirit 
which  is  the  basis  of  the  individuality  of  any  institution, 
unless  such  official  record  is  supplemented  by  some 
account  of  what  the  students  did  and  what  they  thought 
of  the  school  while  they  were  an  active  part  of  it.  The 
articles  cover,  at  or  about  five-year  intervals,  the  entire 
period  of  the  school's  life.  None  are  written  by  any 
one  at  present  officially  connected  with  the  school  and 
no  comment  on  curriculum,  on  faculty,  or  on  general 
conditions  is  due  to  official  suggestion  or  has  been  censored 
by  official  editing.  They  are  therefore  a  record  of  what 
those  who  have  been  here  really  think  or  have  thought 
of  the  school  and  its  work. 

The  articles  are  in  many  cases  frankly  reminiscent 
and  full  of  personal  allusions  which  will  interest  those 

39 


4° 

who  have  been  students  here  rather  than  those  who  have 
not.  This,  indeed,  is  one  of  the  main  purposes  of  this 
chapter:  to  enable  every  one  who  has  ever  been  con- 
nected with  the  school  to  refresh  his  memories  of  its 
past  and  n  this  way  to  preserve  and  increase  his  interest 
in  its  present  and  its  future. 

®ljr  (Unlumbia  (EoUrne  ^rltool  of  ICtbraru  iErmumui  from  a 
g>tuurnt's  ^tattupmnt' 

Mary  Wright  Plummer  '88,    Principal,   Library  School 
oj  the  New  York  Public  Library 

Perhaps  no  body  of  instructors  ever  had  a  more  expect- 
ant class  or  one  more  ignorant  of  the  subject  to  be  entered 
upon  than  were  most  of  the  members  of  the  School  of 
Library  Economy  on  the  5th  of  January  last.  It  is 
almost  a  wonder  that  the  ferment  of  energy  and  enthu- 
siasm with  which  we  listened  to  and  attempted  to  follow 
our  instructions  did  not  burst  out  the  walls  of  the  super- 
annuated building,  for  it  was  a  clear  case  of  new  wine 
in  old  bottles. 

We  began  at  once  on  our  work  under  the  instructors 
appointed,  applying  ourselves  first  to  the  attainment  of 
the  library  hand.  Later  we  were  allowed  a  choice  be- 
tween this  and  a  printed  hand,  and  several  adopted  the 
latter. 

More  than  one  family  were  astonished  in  these  first 
days  to  receive  letters  written  and  superscribed  in  char- 
acters abjured  since  childhood,  for  the  enthusiasm  went 
so  far  as  to  make  this  almost  a  test  of  class  spirit. 

If  I  remember  right,  the  next  step  was  acquaintance 
with  the  accession  book,  as  being  simplest.  We  used 
loose  sheets  similar  to  those  of  the  condensed  accession 
book.  From  this  we  went  on  to  gain  a  slight  knowledge 
of  the  writing  of  shelflists  and  condensing  of  titles, 
giving  but  a  short  time  to  this  as  we  were  to  return  to 
it  later. 

1  This  article,  which  was  read  by  Miss  Plummer  at  the  Thousand  Island  Conference 
of  1887,  is  here  reprinted,  by  her  permission,  from  the  Library  Journal  (12:363-64). 
To  keep  its  strictly  contemporary  character,  no  changes  have  been  made,  even  though 
tin-  conditions  as  described  in  the  paper  have  in  many  cases  been  greatly  changed. 


4i 

The  writing  of  catalog  cards  came  next.  For  some 
time  this  was  done  on  slips  of  author  and  subject  sizes, 
until  we  could  be  trusted  to  take  the  regular  cards.  Piles 
of  books  were  brought  up  to  us  to  be  cataloged,  and  we 
took  them  as  they  came,  without  selection.  Our  pre- 
vious instruction  on  the  slips  had  been  in  systematic 
order  —  biographies  for  a  few  days,  then  analytical, 
then  works  in  series,  etc.,  so  that  we  might  master  the 
writing  of  one  kind  of  card  before  going  to  another. 

During  practice  hours  the  instructors  remained  with 
us,  overseeing  our  work,  making  suggestions,  and  answer- 
ing questions  with  almost  infinite  patience.  The  time 
was  all  too  short,  however,  to  conquer  thoroughly  the 
vast  amount  of  detail,  and  the  apprenticeship  term  was 
of  great  value  in  confirming  our  uncertain  impression 
of  what  we  had  been  taught.  From  carding  we  went  to 
classification,  which  proved  fascinating  but  difficult. 
Only  a  few  of  the  class  elected  to  devote  themselves  to 
this  during  the  apprenticeship  term,  the  majority  pre- 
ferring to  work  at  cataloging.  Some  weeks  were  spent 
in  carding  according  to  the  dictionary  system,  and  with 
this  the  term  virtually  ended. 

It  was  not  merely  during  the  appointed  hours  of  prac- 
tice that  we  worked,  for  there  seemed  to  be  a  general 
disposition  to  fill  up  the  odd  moments.  Some  busied 
themselves  with  cyclostyling,  some  with  the  Hammond 
typewriter,  others  with  reference  work  and  the  elabora- 
tion of  their  lecture  notes. 

For  one  or  two  weeks  our  notes  were  taken  down  by 
ear,  without  much  idea  of  what  they  meant,  in  the  faith 
that  some  day  we  should  look  them  over  and  find  that 
practical  experience  had  made  them  comprehensible. 
This  proved  true  only  in  a  measure,  but  the  plan  now 
inaugurated  of  a  short  term  of  practice  before  the  lecture 
course  will  do  away  with  this  difficulty.  The  questions 
asked  will  probably  be  more  intelligent  and  notes  can 
be  taken  with  full  understanding. 

It  is  greatly  to  be  hoped  that  the  lecture  courses  in 
the  future  may  be  arranged  so  as  to  bring  together  dis- 
courses on  the  same  or  kindred  topics;  by  this  means, 
the  mind  may  remain  upon  one  subject  until  it  be  exam- 
ined on  all  sides,  avoiding  the  waste  of  energy  that  must 


4^ 

come  from  a  continual  change  of  the  subject  under  con- 
sideration. Such  an  arrangement  would  also  facilitate 
the  taking  of  notes  in  topical  order. 

As  to  our  interest  in  the  lectures,  I  think  some  of  the 
eminent  librarians  who  had  hardly  said  their  last  word 
before  they  were  surrounded  by  eager  questioners  and 
greeted  with  individual  applause,  can  answer  for  that. 
The  lectures  might  be  divided  into  two  kinds  —  the 
technical  and  the  inspiring;  the  former  aroused  practical 
discussion,  the  latter  enthusiasm,  and  the  combination 
was  a  good  one.  It  was  noticeable  that  nothing  that 
appealed  to  the  missionary  spirit  appealed  in  vain. 

When  the  apprenticeship  term  began,  the  value  of 
actual  and  constant  practice  soon  became  evident. 
Reference  books  and  aids  to  cataloging  that  had  been 
but  names  to  us  became  a  continual  need,  and  we  soon 
learned  to  form  a  judgment,  albeit  a  crude  one,  of  their 
relative  merits. 

There  has  been  expressed  by  several  of  the  class,  in 
my  hearing,  a  doubt  whether  it  is  best  for  the  school  to 
attempt  to  teach  more  than  one  system  of  cataloging, 
considering  the  short  time  during  which  many  of  the 
class  have  the  benefit  of  its  instructions.  In  school 
parlance,  we  found  ourselves  "  mixed  up  "  by  the  dif- 
ferent methods  taught,  so  that  when  we  came  to  be 
apprentices  we  had  to  relearn  some  things  in  order  to 
do  our  work  correctly. 

The  convenience  of  training  in  languages  was  very 
apparent,  more  so,  doubtless,  than  if  our  apprenticeship 
had  been  in  an  ordinary  library.  To  meet  a  want  in 
this  direction,  a  class  in  German  was  started,  under  one 
ol  the  staff,  and  proved  helpful.  Several  of  us  would 
be  glad  if  the  third  year's  course  might  include  a  review 
at  least  of  our  studies  in  languages,  ancient  as  well  as 
modern. 

The  plans  with  which  many  entered  the  school  suffered 
changes  and  may  undergo  more  before  the  end  of  the 
apprenticeship  year.  Our  ignorance  of  the  many  depart- 
ments, the  infinite  detail,  and  the  higher  aims  of  librarian- 
ship,  led  us  to  make  hasty  choice  of  future  work,  which 
was  modified  or  reversed  as  we  gained  insight.  Fitness 
for  special  lines  developed   itself  and   seemed  almost  to 


f^jpi 


EDWIN  HATFIELD  ANDERSON 
Director,  New  York  State  Library  and  Library  School,  1906-08 


43 

force  a  choice  in  some  instances.  One  feeling  however 
was  common  to  the  class,  that,  whatever  place  and 
whatever  division  of  labor  might  fall  to  our  lot,  we 
should  not  be  satisfied  with  less  than  our  best  work, 
now  that  we  had  a  standard.  With  the  untried  enthu- 
siasm of  tyros  we  even  yearned  for  small  libraries  in 
straitened  circumstances,  that  so  we  might  show  how 
much  could  be  done  with  a  little. 

I  have  intimated  that  the  class  was  ambitious,  in- 
dustrious, conscientious,  enthusiastic;  all  this  would 
sound  like  self-praise  if  I  had  not  intended  all  along  to 
account  for  it  in  great  part  by  the  patient  painstaking, 
the  persevering  energy,  and  contagious  zeal  of  the  faculty 
of  the  school.  If  the  class  be  called  a  success,  it  is 
greatly  owing  to  the  ability  and  the  generous  spirit  with 
which  it  was  managed. 

din  1830-01 

Edwin  Hatfield  Anderson  '92,  Assistant  Director,  New 
York  Public  Library 

My  days  at  the  Albany  Library  School  during  the 
winter  of  1890-91,  are  now  so  far  away  that  I  have 
rather  vague  recollections  of  them.  I  can  therefore  only 
touch  upon  a  few  points  which  stand  out  after  the  lapse 
of  twenty-one  years. 

Librarians  are  sometimes  inclined  to  smile  when  appli- 
cants for  positions  give  a  fondness  for  books  as  a  reason 
for  wishing  to  take  up  library  work.  Yet  I  remember 
it  was  my  own  inclination  in  this  direction  which  brought 
the  library  school  to  my  attention. 

Having  been  some  years  out  of  college  when  I  entered 
the  school,  I  naturally  found  the  close  study  of  the  many 
details  of  library  work,  and  especially  the  minutiae  of 
cataloging,  very  irksome.  When  I  tried  to  learn  to 
write  catalog  cards  in  "  library  hand,"  I  felt  like  an  ele- 
phant trying  to  do  fancy  needlework.  I  shall  never  for- 
get the  gory  red  of  the  reviser's  corrections  on  my  cards. 
I  was  inclined  to  cavil  at  many  of  the  minute,  not  to 
say  fussy,   details  of  cataloging.     I   still  think  some  of 


44 

them  were  fussy;  but  I  had  not  been  long  engaged  in 
practical  library  work  before  I  saw  reasons  for  most  of 
those  minute  details.  I  suppose  there  is  no  more  assured 
maker  of  college  curricula  than  the  freshman,  and  I 
remember  that  during  my  first  term  in  the  school  I 
had  little  doubt  that  I  could  vastly  improve  its  curri- 
culum. Now,  after  twenty  years'  experience  as  a  li- 
brarian, during  which  I  have  had  more  or  less  to  do  with 
the  management  of  three  library  schools,  I  am  not  so 
confident. 

In  general  I  believe  the  advantage  of  library  school 
training  over  mere  experience  in  a  library  without  the 
special  training,  is  due  to  the  fact  that  at  the  schools 
there  is  a  concentration  of  experience.  If  one  learns 
only  one  library's  methods,  it  is  a  comparatively  narrow 
experience.  At  the  schools  various  methods  are  studied 
and  discussed  and  a  broader  view  of  the  general  situa- 
tion acquired.  The  individual  libraries  are  prone  to 
self-satisfaction  with  their  own  methods;  and  self-satis- 
faction is  a  sure  sign  of  arrested  development. 

For  personal  reasons  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  get  all 
I  could  from  the  school  in  one  school  year.  I  was  for- 
tunate therefore  in  being  allowed  to  attend  many  of  the 
lectures  given  before  the  senior  class  as  well  as  those 
given  before  my  own.  Thus,  in  an  informal  way,  I 
was  able  to  take  in  one  year  an  eclectic  course,  supple- 
menting my  junior  work  with  some  senior  lectures. 

On  the  personal  side  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  two 
of  my  classmates,  Miss  Sharp  and  Miss  Robbins,  became 
heads  of  other  library  schools,  and  another,  Miss  Foote, 
of  a  training  class  in  a  large  library;  while  Miss  Kroeger, 
who  was  a  senior  when  we  were  juniors,  afterward  had 
the  responsibility  of  the  management  of  still  another 
school.  Counting  myself,  therefore,  who  later  stood 
godfather,  as  it  were,  to  two  schools  and  for  two  and  one- 
half  years  was  director  of  the  New  York  State  Library 
School,  there  were  five  of  us  at  Albany  in  the  winter  of 
icSoo-91  who  were  afterward  called  upon  to  administer 
such  schools. 

Unfortunately  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  earn  a  little 
money  while  pursuing  my  studies.  So  for  several  months 
I  acted  as  librarian  of  the  Albany  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  devoting 


45 

part  of  my  afternoons  and  most  of  my  evenings  to  it. 
As  a  result  of  this  overwork  I  grew  thin  and  pale,  and 
when  I  returned  home  my  friends  seemed  to  think  I 
had  been  through  a  long  and  severe  illness.  I  shall 
never  forget  the  search  for  a  "  job  "  which  followed.  I 
thought  for  a  while  the  library  profession  was  determined 
to  get  along  without  my  services.  In  those  days  it  was 
not  necessarily  an  advantage  to  have  had  library  school 
training.  The  school  was  new  and  not  very  well  known, 
and  among  librarians  the  old  idea  of  learning  by  doing, 
rather  than  by  special  study,  was  in  popular  favor. 
Like  the  colleges  and  universities,  and  more  especially 
like  the  schools  of  engineering,  law,  medicine,  the  arts 
etc.,  the  library  schools  have  had  to  demonstrate  their 
practical  usefulness  before  employers  could  be  persuaded 
to  look  with  favor  upon  their  product.  Any  new  kind 
of  school  begins  with  a  strong  prejudice  against  it.  It 
was  long  the  prevailing  idea  that  the  place  to  study  law 
was  in  a  law  office,  not  in  a  school.  But  the  advantages 
of  organized  study  in  the  modern  law  school  are  no  longer 
questioned;  and  among  sensible  people  the  advantages 
of  study  in  a  good  library  school  are  now  generally  con- 
ceded. It  was  not  so,  however,  in  1891  and  after  some 
anxious  search  it  was  with  considerable  relief  that  I 
accepted  the  first  position  I  could  get,  that  of  cataloger 
at  fifty  dollars  a  month.  When  I  see  today  how  the 
libraries  are  competing  for  the  output  of  the  library 
schools,  I  realize  how  conditions  have  changed  in  twenty- 
one  years.  The  demand  for  school-trained  people  is 
now  greater  than  the  supply. 

Schools,  of  whatever  sort,  can  only  put  their  students 
in  the  way  of  learning;  they  can  not  really  educate  them. 
Colleges  and  universities  can  only  familiarize  their  stu- 
dents with  the  use  of  the  tools  of  knowledge.  So  the 
library  schools  can  not  produce  well-rounded  nor  fully 
informed  librarians.  They  can  only  point  the  way  which 
the  student  must  afterward  travel  for  himself.  Further- 
more the  schools  can  only  do  their  best  with  the  human 
material  which  comes  to  their  hands.  If  the  student 
has  not  in  himself  the  making  of  a  first-rate  librarian, 
the  school  can  not  put  it  there.  Robert  G.  Ingersoll  once 
said  that  colleges  were  places  "  where  brick  bats  were 


46 

polished  and  diamonds  dimmed."  The  rhetoric  is  pung- 
ent, but  the  facts  are  otherwise.  Ingersoll  made  the 
mistake  of  expecting  the  colleges  to  manufacture  dia- 
monds. They  can  refine,  not  transmute,  the  material 
with  which  they  work.  The  like  is  true  of  the  library 
schools;  and  we  have  no  right  to  expect  that  they  will 
turn  out  library  geniuses  unless  they  have  potential 
geniuses  upon  which  to  work.  Just  now,  it  seems  to 
me,  the  best  way  to  improve  the  product  of  the  schools 
is  to  persuade  better  equipped  people  to  attend  them. 


£foro  lork  #tat?  library  ^>rlj0fll  1B95-9T 

Isabel  Ely  Lord  '97,  Director,  School  of  Household  Science 
and  Art,  Pratt  Institute,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

On  October  2,  1895,  the  class  of  1897  gathered  (at 
9.30  a.  m.  as  duly  ordered  by  letter)  and  its  members 
seated  themselves  meekly  behind  the  class  of  1896,  in 
31a,  which  was  then  the  lecture  room  of  the  school. 
Miss  Mary  S.  Cutler  met  them  and  gave  out  the  program 
(with  one  m)  for  the  fall  term,  distributed  lists  of  faculty 
and  of  both  classes,  and  gave  the  necessary  information 
as  to  "  settling  in."  There  were  but  ten  seniors,  but 
they  loomed  very  large  to  the  juniors,  who  numbered 
twenty-two.  Only  the  presence  of  two  men  in  the  class 
enabled  the  juniors  to  hold  up  their  heads  before  the 
wholly  feminine  senior  class. 

Tables  that  served  as  desks  for  the  students  were  in 
31  and  33,  with  Miss  Cutler's  quarters  in  the  far  corner 
of  31  --  very  literally  the  center  for  the  life  of  the  school. 
Those  juniors  who  had  entered  on  examination  found 
in  their  odd  moments  time  to  discuss  such  quotations 
as  "  Give  a  sketch  of  American  literature  from  the  begin- 
ning with  special  reference  to  spirit  and  tendency,  not 
to  individual  authors."  "  Mention  and  characterize  in 
a  few  words  ten  famous  persons  who  have  died  within 
the  last  year."  "  Outline  the  most  important  work  of 
the  egislature  of  your  own  state  during  its  last  session." 
"  Choose  for  careful  description  some  one  great  insti- 
tution from  the   13th  century."     And  still  the  wonder 


47 

grew  how  any  had  passed.  Or  they  compared  notes 
as  to  the  results  of  the  letter  received  in  the  summer 
from  Miss  Cutler  and  beginning:  "  Allow  me  to  call 
your  attention  to  the  importance  of  mastering  the  library 
hand  before  the  opening  of  the  term." 

But  there  were  not  many  odd  moments,  with  a  pro- 
gram that  called  for  five  lectures  of  cataloging  a  week, 
with  a  minimum  of  forty  hours'  work,  one  reading  sem- 
inar, with  nominally  four  hours'  and  really  at  least  ten 
hours'  work,  four  hours  of  general  lectures,  and  at  least 
four  of  reading,  and  with  all  the  ways  of  a  library  to 
learn.  There  were  yellow  requisition  slips  to  be  filled 
out  for  everything  we  needed  to  buy,  and  manila  V  slips 
for  anything  we  needed  to  use  for  "  the  State."  There 
were  the  mysterious  abbreviations  to  be  learned  that 
were  now  to  be  our  signatures,  and  which  began  such 
brief  (V  slip)  notes  as  "  Please  write  a  trifle  larger  hand," 
"  Make  the  words  a  trifle  more  compact,"  "  Please  in- 
sert Joaquin  Miller  in  title,"  '  Please  see  F.  W.  before 
you  go." 

Into  all  this  the  class  plunged  with  energy  and  a  due 
amount  of  gaiety.  To  them  fell  the  unusual  fortune 
of  having  Miss  Ada  Alice  Jones  as  instructor  in  elementary 
cataloging,  and  to  the  credit  of  the  class  be  it  recorded 
that  in  their  saddest  moments  of  depression  on  the 
impossibility  of  living  up  to  A.  A.  J.'s  standard,  they 
still  rejoiced  that  she  was  training  them.  The  time 
flew  till  the  day  of  reckoning  in  December,  when  the 
examination  in  elementary  cataloging  tested  the  class  - 
and  it  met  the  test.  "  Real  "  cataloging  began  early 
in  those  days,  and  at  least  one  member  of  the  class  of 
1897  still  has  a  copy  of  the  first  card  she  wrote  for  the 
New  York  State  catalog,  on  December  2,  1895.  The 
time  flew  again  till  the  close  of  the  year  and  1896  departed, 
with  two  B.L.S.  degrees  and  three  diplomas.  Septem- 
ber 30,  1896  brought  the  class  of  1897  back,  reduced  now 
to  fifteen,  but  with  eighteen  juniors  to  "  train  in."  The 
reduction  was  partly  due  to  the  fact  that  this  was  the 
first  year  of  the  application  of  the  doctrine  of  "  election  " 
to  the  senior  class.  Grades  were  given  promptly,  so 
that  one  was  not  kept  in  suspense  as  to  whether  one  had 
"  satisfactorily  completed  "  a  subject,  but  by  the  new 


4* 

ruling  one  might  pass  gloriously  as  far  as  grades  went 
and  yet  not  be  "  invited  "  as  the  polite  term  was,  to 
continue.  Of  course  we  all  felt  we  were  personally  fitted 
to  do  library  work,  but  we  had  no  way  of  knowing 
whether  the  authorities  of  the  school  agreed  with  us. 
Some  of  the  reduction  was  for  personal  reasons  that 
lost  us  members  we  were  loth  to  lose.  We  certainly 
mourned  our  lessened  numbers.  One  of  the  first  efforts 
of  that  politically  exciting  year  was  to  discover  that  all 
but  one  senior  and  all  but  three  juniors  were  unreserv- 
edly "  gold  "  and  only  curiosity  brought  them  all  out 
one  day  to  watch  Mr  Bryan  drive  by. 

Soon  came,  in  February  1897,  the  move  to  the  fifth 
floor,  because  the  Senate  committees  wanted  our  quarters, 
and  we  packed  up  cheerfully,  not  realizing  that  soon 
the  Library  School  would  be  sent  higher  yet,  until  finally 
fire  should  eliminate  the  old  familiar  body  that  we  knew, 
leaving  only  the  spirit  to  find  itself  a  new  dress  in  the 
beautiful  building  now  almost  ready  for  it.  In  our 
fifth  floor  quarters  we  were  provided  with  real  desks, 
an  improvement  that  was  much  appreciated  by  every- 
body, but  perhaps  most  by  the  cleaning  women,  since 
now  a  library  school  student  could  actually  put  a  few 
things  away. 

But  we  had  little  time  to  play  with  our  desks  when  the 
Publishers'  Weekly  had  to  be  checked  in  order  to  show 
our  intelligence  as  to  the  selection  of  books,  and  when 
everybody's  number  came  back  every  week  fairly  gay 
with  red  checks  that  expressed  disapproval.  Many  a 
student  gained  then  that  fear  of  a  wrong  purchase  that 
inhibits  his  or  her  action  today,  when  he  or  she  sits  in 
high  places;  one  shudders  even  now  to  think  of  one's 
responsibility. 

The  "  library  trip  "  of  the  first  year  was  to  Springfield, 
Hartford,  Northampton,  Boston,  Salem,  and  Wellesley. 
The  working  hours  each  day  were  approximately  seven- 
teen, and  the  number  of  questions  on  the  official  mimeo- 
graphed list  was  179.  The  social  events  are  counted 
into  the  schedule,  as  they  were  practically  required, 
and  it  would  be  untrue  to  memory  not  to  record  that 
the  Pratt  Institute  Library  School  came  soon  after  us, 
with  a   much  lighter  schedule  and  a  vigorous  freshness 


n 


w  a 

(£  PC 

•^  U 

Pi  c 

O  .a 

*  m 

&  a 


O    to 

o 


49 

that  made  them  distinctly  unpopular  with  the  weary 
N.  Y.  S.  L.  S.  The  proud  reward  for  our  trip  was  a 
Transcript  editorial  of  which  one  sentence  read  "  The 
interest  which  this  company  of  young  women  has  awak- 
ened is  due  quite  as  much  to  their  sincerity  and  earnest- 
ness as  to  the  novelty  of  their  position."  But  Pratt  was 
included  in  that  too. 

The  second  year's  trip  took  the  school  to  Vassar, 
Newark,  and  Greater  New  York,  with  a  meeting  of  the 
New  York  Library  Club.  It  seemed  less  strenuous  than 
that  of  the  year  before,  but  that  may  have  been  because 
of  longer  experience. 

The  social  side  of  the  school  life  centered  at  3 1 5  Madison 
avenue,  where  Mr  and  Mrs  Dewey  always  left  the  latch 
string  out  for  the  library  school.  Many  an  informal 
dance  did  they  enjoy  there,  and  whenever  dear  Mr 
Cutter  was  a  guest  he  waltzed  about  ecstatically  with 
the  tallest  girl  obtainable.  At  the  opening  of  their 
senior  year  the  juniors  gave  a  party  for  which  the  fol- 
lowing invitation  was  printed  on  a  lurid  red  folder,  with 
three  black  pins  stuck  viciously  through,  and  a  witch 
riding  a  bicycle  depicted  at  the  beginning: 

Ninety-seven  witches  of  experience  dire 

In  the  ways  of  black  art  and  tricks  of  red  fire 

Hereby  command  ye  blithsome,  careful  mortals 

Fearful  to  draw  nigh  unto  the  Dewey  portals 

When  in  the  lurid  light  of  Hallowe'en 

Dark  secrets  of  the  future  ye  may  glean. 

At  eight  —  At  ten 
Away  again ! 

It  is  good  evidence  both  of  what  good  times  we  had, 
of  what  archaically  early  hours  we  kept. 

But  out  of  all  the  many  impressions  of  class  instruc- 
tion, class  discussion,  private  books  examined,  books 
read,  books  studied,  discussion,  library  routine,  hours 
of  grind,  moments  of  gaiety,  there  arises  one  impression 
so  much  bigger  and  so  much  more  enduring  than  all 
the  others  that  it  dominates  them  wholly  —  the  impres- 
sion of  personalities  embodying  for  us  the  '  library 
spirit."  Not  the  rules  we  learned,  the  books  we  cata- 
loged, the  facts  we  acquired  or  the  decisions  we  made, 
but  the  people  who  gave  us  our  start  in  library  work  — 
they  were  the  big  thing. 


50 

First  came  our  faculty.  In  and  out  from  time  to  time 
Mr  Dewey  flashed,  giving  us  in  terse,  vigorous,  staccato 
phrases,  practical  directions  and  ideals  all  mixed  inex- 
tricably, but  with  a  power  of  incentive  that  sent  us  long 
and  far.  Miss  Jones  set  a  standard  of  accuracy  and  of 
patience  in  detail  that  none  of  us  have  ever  reached; 
Mr  Biscoe  awed  while  he  inspired  us  to  a  desire  for  some 
infinitesimal  part  of  the  knowledge  that  was  his;  Mr  John- 
ston goaded  us  almost  to  desperation  and  certainly  to 
sp  endid  effort  and  some  good  results  by  his  swords  of 
witticism  drawn  and  thrust  while  he  looked  his  laziest; 
Miss  Wheeler  set  us  a  standard  of  judgment  that  we 
struggled  for  then  and  after;  and  dear  little  Miss  Wood- 
worth  comforted  and  encouraged  us  and  greeted  each 
birthday  with  a  rose.  But  always  from  that  desk  in 
the  corner  came  what  counted  most.  It  was  Miss  Cut- 
ler's ideal  of  life  and  work  that  we  saw  clearest,  her 
patient  consideration  of  every  point,  her  insistence  on  a 
philosophic,  an  ethical,  and  an  economic  basis  for  our 
work,  her  never-failing  sense  of  justice,  her  ignoring  of 
the  pettiness  of  personalities,  her  generous  giving  of  the 
very  best  she  had  --  it  was  all  these  that  made  the  largest 
influence  of  the  New  York  State  Library  School  for 
many  and  many  who  still  bless  her  name. 

From  outside  they  came  too  —  Mr  Larned,  with  his 
scholarly  calmness  and  his  simple,  fine  ethical  standard; 
Mr  Brett,  with  the  beautiful  childlike  quality  that  made 
his  splendid  achievement  dear  to  us  all;  Mr  Foster,  whose 
modesty  was  even  greater  than  Mr  Brett's  and  from 
whom  we  gained  a  further  glimpse  of  the  characteristics 
of  the  true  scholar;  Miss  Hewins,  with  that  quality  in 
both  literary  judgment  and  wit  that  made  her  seem 
almost  too  good  to  be  true;  Miss  Hannah  James,  whose 
vigorous  common  sense  and  relentless  holding  high  the 
standard  stirred  us  to  shame  at  our  own  lack  of  accom- 
plishment; Miss  "London"  James,  bringing  her  broad 
social  interest  and  her  own  delightful  freshness  in  point 
of  view;  Mr  Solberg,  whose  gentleness  was  so  palpably 
that  of  strength;  Miss  Sharp,  whose  mental  clearness 
and  brilliancy  alternately  incited  and  discouraged  us; 
Mr  Dana,  gloomy  and  discouraging  without,  but  offering 
us   much   food   for  thought  and   inspiration   to  achieve; 


5i 

Mr  lies,  who  flew  in  and  out  almost  as  fast  as  Mr  Dewey, 
leaving  a  trail  of  pungent  and  wise  sayings;  and  dear 
Mr  Cutter,  more  beloved  perhaps  than  any,  who  in  the 
very  citadel  of  the  D.  C.  raised  his  lance  for  the  E.  C, 
never  making  converts,  so  far  as  one  knows,  but  gaining 
the  respect,  the  admiration,  and  the  warm  affection  of 
every  one  of  us. 

These  are  they  who  come  back  as  one  writes  currente 
c alamo,  so  that  they  are  real  impressions.  From  them 
the  class  of  1897,  like  its  predecessors  and  successors, 
got  the  greatest  thing  that  any  school  can  give  —  an 
ideal  lived  out  by  fine  personalities.  Whether  one  has 
been  able  to  do  much  or  little,  whether  one  has  occupied 
a  hidden  corner  in  the  big  library  world,  or  has  sat  on 
the  throne  (larger  or  smaller)  of  administration,  or  has 
slipped  out  of  that  world  altogether,  wherever  one  has 
gone  and  whatever  one  has  done,  the  library  school 
years  have  had  their  harvest. 


Uraura  from  a  Jtourttal  of  (fur  IGtfr  in  Albany 
IGrst  uir  iflornrt! 

Charles    James    Barr   '02,    Assistant   Librarian,   John 
Crerar  Library,  Chicago,  III. 

As  Twain  remarks  of  the  Innocents  on  the  Quaker 
City,  it  was  a  carefully  expurgated  company  of  aspirants 
who  found  themselves  "  enrolled  among  the  select " 
in  the  fall  of  1900,  with  the  privilege  of  letting  loose  their 
intellects  on  the  accumulated  store  of  knowledge  com- 
monly denominated  library  science.  Fourteen  seniors 
had  returned  to  deal  patronizingly  with  the  thirty-five 
newcomers.  Nineteen  hundred  two  was  blessed  with  a 
plentiful  stock  of  genuine  feminine  enthusiasm  most 
refreshing  to  one  who  had  accustomed  himself  to  an 
attitude  of  standing  by  to  watch  the  young  folks  play. 
The  presence  of  an  occasional  scoffer,  or  one  whom  the 
bitter  experience  of  the  pedagogue  had  made  more  or 
less  indifferent  to  the  appeal  of  the  uplift,  but  added  to 
the  zeal  of  the  more  ardent  elements  in  the  class. 


5* 

The  school  that  year  had  rather  an  unusual  percent- 
age of  male  stock  —  unlucky  thirteen  ?  —  which  fact  pos- 
sibly added  some  interest  for  the  faculty  in  the  outcome 
of  the  year's  work.  Nine  promising  youths  (?)  entered 
with  the  class  of  1902  and  did  their  best  to  look  wise 
and  take  a  leading  part  in  all  weighty  discussions  of 
"  the  modern  library  movement." 

Room  59  could  not  accommodate  all  the  newcomers, 
as  well  as  members  of  the  faculty  and  staff  whose  duties 
warranted  the  honor  of  assignment  of  space  in  school 
quarters.  The  restraining  influence  of  the  latter  in 
curbing  the  effervescing  spirits  of  students  with  social 
proclivities  could  hardly  be  dispensed  with,  even  from 
eight  to  ten  p.  m.  "  Conversation  even  in  low  tones 
strictly  prohibited!  "  In  consequence  three  of  our  "  Hah- 
vahd  "  men  were  relegated  to  56. 

The  faculty  of  that  day  had  seen  little  change  of  per- 
sonnel from  those  who  had  helped  to  found  and  build 
up  the  school.  Mr  Dewey  and  Mrs  Fairchild  were 
still  in  charge  and  doing  their  part  to  inspire  students 
with  lofty  ideals  lor  their  chosen  profession  and  an  appre- 
ciation of  the  fellowship  which  prevails  among  the  rank 
and  file  of  those  engaged  in  the  work. 

As  was  to  be  expected  of  classes  made  up  so  largely 
of  graduate  students,  many  of  whom  had  already  wrung 
a  meager  living  from  the  work-a-day  world  for  longer  or 
shorter  periods,  all  had  soon  settled  down  to  serious 
routine  work,  which  involved  faithful  attendance  upon 
lectures  and  long  periods  of  detailed  study  during  the 
open  hours  of  the  library.  To  some  of  the  ardently 
ambitious  it  was  a  matter  of  regret  that  the  doors  closed 
at  ten  o'clock  at  night,  as  they  were  primed  for  their 
best  efforts  at  that  hour.  For  others  it  became  an  estab- 
lished routine  that  an  hour  thereafter  must  be  given  up 
to  wild  dissipation,  the  details  of  which  can  not  be  here 
mentioned  with  propriety.  (There  were  no  moving- 
picture  shows  in  those  days!) 

Aside  from  the  excitement  of  the  chase  after  the  mastery 
of  the  proper  use  of  capitals,  commas  and  semicolons  in 
manuscript  cataloging,  there  was  the  joy  of  doing  "  State 
time  -  a  term  eschewed  by  the  faculty,  but  so  aptly 
suggestive  that  it  appealed  strongly  to  the  student  mind. 


S3 

The  long  hours  of  durance  vile  devoted  to  the  State 
were  sometimes  regarded  as  a  means  by  which  the  toil 
of  the  staff  was  lightened  at  the  expense  of  the  unre- 
munerated  student,  who  must  have  experience. 

A  goodly  number,  however,  braved  the  terrors  of  the 
civil  service  and  found  themselves  entitled  to  serve  as 
members  of  the  staff  on  terms  that  helped  to  keep  the 
wolf  from  the  door.  This  service  had  in  it  an  element 
of  real  experience  which  appealed  to  the  man  who  hoped 
to  nail  a  good  job  at  the  conclusion  of  his  course. 

The  lectures  provided  by  the  school  from  those  out- 
side gave  many  opportunities  to  know  the  "  lights  "  of 
the  profession  at  first  hand.  A  mere  enumeration  of 
the  treats  offered  would  prove  the  value  to  those  who  sat 
in  rapt  attention,  but  space  forbids.  The  lectures  pro- 
vided from  the  fund  of  the  alumni  association  were  note- 
worthy for  their  scholarly  character. 

Occasionally  discussion  of  affairs  of  state  attracted  us 
to  the  legislative  halls  where  we  were  privileged  to  note 
how  the  machinery  of  government  is  run.  It  is  unlikely 
that  the  students  of  that  day  will  soon  forget  their 
opportunity  to  hear  Mark  Twain  discuss  in  his  inimitable 
way  the  proposal  to  regulate  the  practice  of  osteopathy. 
His  venerable  aspect  and  his  dry  humor  made  him  the 
center  of  interest,  rather  than  any  logical  argument  he  may 
have  endeavored  to  persuade  himself  he  was  presenting. 

The  experience  of  boarding-house  life  in  Albany  had 
an  element  of  interesting  novelty  for  those  who  had  the 
sense  of  humor  to  help  them  to  take  its  characters  at 
their  true  value.  The  social  life  of  the  school  and  the 
student  body  had  much  to  offer  that  was  thoroughly 
enjoyable.  A  variety  of  outdoor  recreation  was  offered 
through  the  generous  thoughtfulness  of  the  faculty  and 
the  resourcefulness  of  the  students  themselves.  Mr 
Dewey's  surrey,  generously  contributed,  gave  many  a 
pleasant  hour  as  relaxation  from  work  that  would  other- 
wise have  made  Jack  a  dull  boy.  Skating  parties  in 
winter  enjoyed  the  Pine  Hills  pond  and  the  hospitality 
of  Mr  and  Mrs  Fairchild. 

The  circus,  the  dog  show  ("  I  haven't  done  the  same 
thing  since,  have  you?"),  the  omnipresent  street  grind 
organs,    and    the    stock   companies   at   the    theaters   all 


54 

attracted  their  quota  of  patronage  in  parties  of  students 
who  were  ready  to  go  "  dutch."  It  was  that  spirit  of 
casting  aside  the  formalities  and  going  in  for  a  lark  which 
made  for  good  fellowship  and  established  so  many  genuine 
and  lasting  friendships.  This  atmosphere  was  perhaps 
more  novel  to  those  who  had  come  from  universities 
and  colleges  exclusively  for  one  sex,  than  to  those  of 
us  who  had  been  undergraduates  at  coeducational  insti- 
tutions. 

Indoors  the  ladylike  game  of  ping-pong  was  then  in 
vogue  and  had  its  devotees  who  enjoyed  a  "  quiet  game." 
The  Regents'  tower  room  was  frequently  the  scene  ot 
activity,  until  the  Regents  overheard  and  enforced  the 
law.  Dancing  appealed  to  a  sufficient  number  so  that 
evenings  devoted  thereto  were  frequent  and  a  "  lovely 
time  was  had."  The  occasional  presence  of  the  faculty 
members  and  their  families  at  these  functions  added  zest 
to  the  game  and  kept  us  all  young  in  spirit.  Spectators 
were  excluded;  every  one  in  attendance  was  required  to 
take  a  turn. 

The  classes  were  repeatedly  indebted  to  Mr  and  Mrs 
Dewey  for  their  generosity  in  opening  their  home  for 
festivities  and  receptions.  Not  least  among  these  occa- 
sions was  the  Hallowe'en  party  given  by  the  class  of 
H)02  to  1003.  A  feminine  committee  with  all  the  re- 
sourcefulness of  born  hostesses  and  full-Hedged  kinder- 
gartners  combined,  kept  the  male  contingent  on  the 
jump  for  some  days  previous,  and  on  that  memorable 
night  served  up  an  article  of  entertainment  that  for 
variety  would  put  the  modern  vaudeville  show  to  shame! 
Resides  the  customary  decorations,  stunts  and  kt  eats," 
there  were  a  sheet  and  pillowcase  disguise  and  a  real 
live  fortune  teller  whose  marvelous  powers  of  character 
reading  made  many  a  man  tremble  tor  fear  his  buried 
past  would  be  revealed.  To  cap  the  climax  of  the  even- 
ing there  was  the  famous  "  parlor-football  "  contest  with 
the  faculty  pitted  against  naughty-three,  for  the  little 
silver  trophy  engraved  "  Presented  by  the  class  of  1002," 
and  intended  to  pass  on  from  year  to  year  as  an  incentive 
to  future  contests.  Fortunately  the  faculty  won  this 
initial  game  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  they  were  handi- 
capped  by    the   early    departure   of   the    sublibrarian    in 


<  £ 

►J    — 


«  6 
O  a 
°    °. 

►_.       4) 

8o 

p 
p 

H 


55 

charge  of  bibliography  and  classification.  It  was  whis- 
pered among  the  naughty-threes  that  the  faculty  were 
surreptitiously  aided  by  the  extra  wind  of  the  breezy  '02s, 
but  thus  the  juniors  were  taught  a  necessary  lesson  in 
humility. 

The  famous  valentine  party  of  February  1902  will  go 
down  in  history  as  the  red-letter  social  event  of  library 
school  days.  The  clever  variety  of  entertainment,  the 
attractive  decorations  and  the  scintillating  wit  and 
humor  of  the  verses  dedicated  to  St  Valentine  made  the 
event  one  that  will  be  long  remembered  by  those  present. 
Doubtless  more  than  one  man  has  since  had  a  tender 
spot  for  the  game  of  hearts. 

The  school  junkets  of  1901  and  1902  were  as  complete 
a  realization  of  delights  long  anticipated  as  rarely  falls 
to  the  lot  of  the  eager  enthusiast.  The  earlier  trip 
included  New  York  and  vicinity,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore 
and  Washington.  We  visited  three  new  buildings,  those 
of  New  York  University,  Jersey  City  and  Newark. 
Classes  were  organized  into  committees  that  spent  the 
precious  moments  in  critical  examination  of  methods, 
conscious  that  the  day  of  reckoning  would  come  when 
reports  must  be  submitted  in  class.  However,  there 
were  those  who  stole  away  long  enough  to  store  up  memo- 
ries of  rathskellers,  facetious  barkers  on  "  Seeing  Wash- 
ington "  cars  and  similar  excitements.  To  those  of  us 
who  hailed  from  the  "  woolly  west  "  where  there  are  no 
centers  of  culture,  the  wonders  of  the  metropolis  and  the 
capital  city  were  a  revelation. 

And  now  to  pass  to  the  closing  days  of  our  connection 
with  the  school;  it  was  a  happy  arrangement  that  brought 
the  A.  L.  A.  conference  of  1902  to  Magnolia,  and  per- 
mitted the  attendance  of  the  school  in  a  body  after  its 
visit  to  the  libraries  of  New  England.  What  could  be  a 
more  perfect  realization  of  Paradise  than  New  England 
in  June !  Magnolia  with  its  rocky  coast,  its  sailboats 
manned  with  well-schooled  salts,  a  glorious  moon  at  its 
best,  and  who  could  be  lured  to  meetings  or  even  dances 
indoors  ?  Then  there  were  the  attractions  of  the  "  Pop 
concerts,"  the  Harvard  Yale  game  and  other  commence- 
ment festivities.  All  this  was  a  fitting  climax  to  two 
years  of  preparation  for  a  new  work;  for,  while  it  may 


56 

have  made  the  toil  directly  after  seem  prosaic,  it  wove 
into  the  memories  of  our  days  in  Albany  a  glimpse  of  the 
joys  of  librarians  at  play,  and  it  is  then,  if  they  have  a  re- 
deeming sense  of  humor  and  do  not  take  themselves  too 
seriously,  that  they  are  at  their  best. 

"  I  now  at  the  close  of  the  examination  in  Auld  Lang 
Syne  declare  that  prior  to  this  examination  I  had  no 
knowledge  of  what  questions  were  to  be  proposed,  and 
have  neither  given  nor  received  more  aid  than  I  could 
get." 

C.  J.   Barr 

As  it  was  tit  1905-00 

Chalmers  Hadley  '07,  Librarian,  Denver  (Col.)   Public 

Library 

"  Nothing  now  is  left  but  a  majestic  memory  "  was 
doubtless  our  thought  when  news  of  the  State  Library 
conflagration  was  received.  In  our  mind's  eye  we  saw 
the  flames  burst  from  below  into  the  school  above  and 
then  curl  upwards,  while  we  exclaimed  with  the  excited 
student  in  her  grief:  "Well,  room  71  is  warm  at  last!  " 

Recollections  of  library  school  really  begin  with  the 
trip  to  Albany  when  first  we  realized  the  importance  of 
the  letter  "  S,"  in  every  phase  of  New  York  life,  from 
sausages  to  Sing  Sing.  There  were  Spuyten  Duyvil,  and 
Shinnicock,  Shawangunk,  Shinhopple,  Seawanhaka,  Sem- 
pronius,  Schaghticoke,  and  finally  that  classic  suburb  of 
the  capital  city,  Saugerties. 

Every  little  city  has  an  odor  of  its  own  and  in  Albany 
there  prevailed  a  faint  mustiness  as  of  a  house  long  closed. 
All  senses  were  awed,  however,  when  we  beheld  the  red 
roofed  pile  which  surmounted  the  hill.  The  fame  of  its 
million  dollar  stairway  had  gone  abroad,  but  its  steps 
were  trod  by  the  lords  of  the  State  and  not  by  meek  library 
students  whose  way  led  past  the  Lunacy  Commission  and 
Charity  offices  to  the  elevator. 

Fortune  smiled  that  first  Albany  day,  for  the  lift  was 
lifting  and  we  were  hoisted  to  the  accompaniment  of  di- 
verse creakings  which  dropping  oil  from  above  failed  to 
assuage.  Cordial  greetings  warmed  our  hearts  and  then 
we  beheld  Santa  Florence,  patron  saint  of  students,  gentle 


57 

of  voice  and  manner,  but  withal  a  collector  of  bears. 
Evidences  of  thoughtfulness  abounded  and  assistance  was 
given  in  search  for  boarding  houses.  Popular  places  were 
on  Beaver,  Tiger  and  Fox  streets,  but  many  timid  stu- 
dents from  the  far  west  beyond  Schenectady  preferred 
living  on  Dove  or  Swan.  Elk  street  was  a  favorite,  but 
fewer  residents  on  that  aristocratic  thoroughfare  openly 
took  boarders. 

The  first  day  was  devoted  to  inspecting  the  city  and 
estimating  its  resources  for  a  two  years'  sojourn.  The 
most  esteemed  pleasure  of  Albanians  seemed  to  be  the 
consumption  of  "  contrabands,"  a  mint-flavored  molasses 
confection.  For  the  less  extravagant,  there  was  always 
Washington  Park,  a  converted  cemetery,  with  its  beauti- 
ful paths  where  one  could  walk  sedately.  One  soon 
realized  the  wisdom  of  locating  the  library  school  in  a 
secluded  spot,  far  from  human  distractions,  where  there 
was  every  incentive  to  complete  the  library  course  as 
quickly  as  possible. 

The  second  day  promised  excitement,  for  then  would 
come  the  official  inspection  of  newcomers.  Expectations 
were  high  for  it  had  been  specified  that  all  admitted  should 
"  have  freedom  from  marked  physical  defects  "  -  mental 
ones  were  not  mentioned.  Surprise  therefore  was  un- 
bounded when  we  beheld  a  manly  youth  bending  wild- 
eyed  over  cramped  fingers  as  if  fatally  twisted.  These 
contortions  ceased  entirely,  however,  with  the  mastery  of 
library  handwriting,  long  before  the  writer  became  editor 
of  the   Publishers'  Weekly. 

We  gazed  about  with  interest  and  noted  the  talented 
woman  responsible  for  the  high  price  of  red  ink  and  the 
registrar  of  pleasant  mien. 

The  Websterian  gentleman  to  the  left  already  has  per- 
fected his  plans  to  capture  the  vice  directorship  of  the 
school.  Behind  him  sits  a  strawberry  blonde  from  Michi- 
gan with  a  love  for  fine  raiment.  Gorgeous  in  his  silk  tile, 
he  mingles  in  the  Elk  street  parade  on  Sunday,  while  the 
lower  class  gazes  in  admiration. 

School  work  began  with  book  selection  and  John  Hali- 
fax, Gent.,  was  considered  for  admittance  to  public 
libraries.  Having  seen  that  book  for  years  in  libraries, 
all  felt  safe  in  recommending  it. 


58 

Then  came  the  opening  reception  at  the  Deweys.  Who 
will  ever  forget  the  thrilling  personality  of  the  host  or  his 
hospitable  home?  Floors  were  cleared  for  a  dance  to 
music  from  the  pianola,  presided  over  with  the  same  suc- 
cess that  the  Booklist  now  enjoys. 

A  start  was  made  in  classification  and  the  ladies  dis- 
covered that  in  920,  but  one  point  separated  them  from 
idiots,  cranks  and  fools.  This  narrow  margin  also  di- 
vided limbus  patrum  from  limbus  infantum  and  in  spite 
of  a  very  general  impression,  neither  proved  to  be  con- 
tagious diseases. 

Then  came  the  deluge  —  classification,  book  selection 
and  cataloging,  with  this  order  reversed  every  forty-eight 
hours,  until  all  sense  of  time  and  direction  were  lost. 

In  November  Albany  became  surcharged  with  excite- 
ment, due  to  the  annual  boarding  up  of  Moses'  statue  in 
the  park.  On  Thanksgiving  day  the  coveted  invitation 
to  the  director's  home  fell  to  our  foreign  friend,  the 
Viking,  who  described  two  notable  dishes  enjoyed  as 
"  a  great  bird  and  a  russet  pie  which  was  formally 
parted." 

In  December  the  junior  class  asserted  itself  in  favor  of 
less  cataloging.  The  faculty  listened  politely  and  cata- 
loging continued  without  a  break. 

January  saw  the  egg  blowing  contest,  and  the  flames 
which  finally  melted  the  silver  trophy  were  not  fiercer 
than  the  windy  efforts  to  win  the  little  cup.  The  month 
was  notable  for  the  arrival  of  the  new  reference  librarian, 
a  Wiry  gentleman  from  the  West  and  an  extraordinary 
live  one. 

The  coming  of  the  new  director  of  the  school  made  a 
notable  spring  which  was  marked  also  by  examinations. 
The  State  of  New  York  is  a  suspicious  commonwealth 
and  to  prevent  fraud,  desks  must  be  cleared.  Following 
a  portentous  silence,  a  bell  is  struck  which  paralyzes  the 
students'  few  working  brain  cells  and  then  follows  a  wild 
rush  and  the  devil  take  the  hindmost.  It  was  then  that 
the  problem  came:  '  Plan  a  library  building  to  cost 
#25,000  for  a  city  of  10,000  inhabitants,  the  annual  book 
increase  being  1000  volumes."  The  most  interesting  de- 
sign showed  a  marble  edifice  with  four  courts,  covering  a 
city  block,  with  fountains  and  gold  fish  and  a  statue  of 


w  w 
M   8 

o 


59 

Minerva  by  MacMonnies  at  the  entrance.  The  designer 
has  since  devoted  herself  entirely  to  cataloging  in 
Cincinnati. 

The  annual  trip  of  library  inspection  was  interesting. 
For  two  weeks,  at  the  rate  of  three  a  day,  libraries  were 
visited  and  copious  notes  were  taken  concerning  the  pins 
which  supported  the  book  shelves,  the  demonstration  of 
picture  bulletins,  and  the  actual  space  required  by  a  reader 
for  his  complete  comfort.  Statistics  and  libraries  became 
somewhat  confused  at  the  last  and  the  institutions  which 
stood  out  most  vividly  as  successful  ones  were  those  where 
lunch  had  been  served. 

School  work  was  over  and  then  instead  of  a  period  for 
mental  and  spiritual  discipline,  the  year  appeared  all 
beautiful  in  time's  procession.  Friends  were  made, 
foundations  laid  and  we  realized  with  Jean  Paul  that 
memory  is  the  only  Paradise  out  of  which  we  could  not 
be  driven. 

din  1910-12 

Mrs  Elizabeth  G.  Potter  '12,  Instructor,  Library  School 
of  the   University  of  Wisconsin 

To  the  members  of  the  class  of  19 12,  assembling  for  the 
first  time,  the  massive  Capitol  seemed  like  a  mysterious 
maze,  whose  winding  corridors  led  in  every  direction 
except  that  in  which  we  desired  to  go.  The  cheerlessness 
of  the  halls,  the  crowded  reading-room  with  its  sea  of 
strange  faces  cast  over  us  a  shadow  of  apprehension;  but 
when  the  threshold  of  the  library  school  study  room  had 
been  passed  we  seemed  surrounded  by  that  warmth  and 
cheer  which  will  forever  be  associated  with  Albany.  The 
clasp  of  the  hand  and  the  tone  of  the  voice  gave  a  message 
of  welcome  and  we  instinctively  felt  that  our  instructors 
were  also  our  friends. 

As  we  drew  the  little  slips  of  white  paper  which  would 
decide  the  desks  we  were  to  occupy  during  the  coming 
year,  we  glanced  about  to  see  whom  our  classmates  were 
to  be  and  listened  to  their  voices.  There  came  to  us  the 
soft  drawl  of  the  southerner,  the  broad  vowels  of  the  New 
Englander,  the  refreshing  breezy  phrases  that  told  of  the 


6o 

great  plains  of  the  middle  West,  and  now  and  then  the 
unfamiliar  words  of  a  foreign  tongue.  In  fact  a  more  cos- 
mopolitan group  would  be  difficult  to  find.  Here  were 
those  who  still  seemed  to  be  wearing  the  mortarboard  and 
gown  of  college  days  and  others  whose  maturity  bespoke 
years  of  experience  in  library  work  and  in  that  still  larger 
school  of  the  world.  But  all  had  assembled  for  the  same 
purpose  and  were  filled  with  the  same  earnest  enthusiasm. 

If  some  had  entered  the  school  with  sordid  motives;  if 
the  lure  of  salary  or  fame  had  led  them  to  take  up  this 
work,  all  such  thoughts  were  quickly  dispelled.  For  were 
we  not  to  be  the  "  educators  of  future  generations  "  and 
the  leaders  in  a  great  cause'  It  was  somewhat  appalling 
at  first  to  realize  that  we  were  to  raise  the  standard  of 
culture  throughout  the  country,  but  we  went  bravely  to 
work,  following  our  leaders  through  the  maze  of  bibliog- 
raphy, and  carefully  concealing  our  catalog  cards,  gaudy 
with  red  ink,  in  a  box  plainly  marked  "  In  case  of  death 
to  be  destroyed  without  opening." 

And  so  the  busy  days  sped  by.  We  lived  and  worked 
like  one  great  family.  Our  faculty,  devoted  to  our  inter- 
ests, planned  every  detail  of  our  work  with  careful  con- 
sideration, the  colored  janitor  gave  the  desks  of  the 
southern  girls  an  extra  polish,  and  Jerry,  as  he  regulated 
the  speed  of  the  elevator,  inquired  with  concern  whether 
we  had  found  the  "  economic  family." 

Of  course  there  were  days  when  we  declared  that  the 
work  was  too  heavy;  when  we  thought  that  one  of  our 
friends  in  the  Capitol  was  right  when  he  said,  "  They  do 
hand  it  out  to  them  library  students  pretty  liberal  and 
they  ain't  forgettin'  Sundays  and  holidays  either";  and 
there  were  times  when  we  told  each  other  how  we  would 
run  a  library  school,  but  in  the  end  we  looked  back  at  our 
grumbling  with  a  smile,  declaring  there  were  few  flaws  in 
the  course  provided  for  us. 

Spring  had  just  begun  to  take  the  chill  out  of  the  air, 
when  we  awakened  one  morning  to  find  the  New  York 
State  Library  in  ashes.  As  we  stood  on  the  street  corner 
watching  the  smoldering  flames,  which  now  and  again 
burst  forth  with  renewed  energy  and  played  with  awful 
beauty  within  the  narrow  confines  of  the  tower,  we  won- 
dered how  this  great  library  could  ever  be  restored.     But 


6i 

we  did  not  doubt  that  the  work  would  go  on,  for  we  knew 
our  director  and  his  staff.  It  was  not  long  before  we  were 
all  assembled  in  the  aud  torium  of  the  State  Normal  Col- 
lege, and  Mr  Wyer  standing  before  us  held  up  one  poor 
charred  volume  saying,  "  My  friends,  this  is  the  New  York 
State  Library."  Upon  so  small  a  foundation  were  plans 
quickly  laid  for  the  future;  comfortable  quarters  were  pro- 
vided at  the  State  Normal  College,  lectures  delivered, 
books  purchased,  and  with  only  a  day's  interruption  our 
work  proceeded  with  its  former  interest  and  efficiency. 
As  we  looked  upon  the  blackened  walls  of  the  Capitol 
we  realized  how  great  a  calamity  had  fallen  on  the  State 
but  we  were  also  filled  with  admiration  for  the  courage 
and  energy  of  our  faculty.  There  was  no  faltering,  no 
hesitation  but  a  marvelous  spirit  of  determination  to 
save  what  was  possible  from  the  ruins  and  to  rebuild 
upon  the  same  broad  lines. 

To  the  class  of  191 2  there  was  one  gleam  of  light  in  the 
darkness.  The  fire  had  been  terrible  but  if  it  had  to  be, 
we  were  glad  it  had  come  at  this  time.  Our  recent  exam- 
ination in  shelf  and  accession  work  had  caused  us  many 
pangs  of  anxiety  but  out  of  the  blackness  peeped  a  silver 
lining.  Everything  had  been  destroyed  so  our  examina- 
tion papers  were  no  more.  But  our  joy  was  short  lived 
for  everything  was  lost  except  one  small  iron  box  and  this 
contained  the  examination  papers,  only  blackened  a  little 
along  the  edges. 

Then  came  the  library  trip,  when  we  traveled  from 
place  to  place,  invested  with  somewhat  the  same  feeling 
of  importance  that  took  possession  of  David  Copperfield 
when  he  donned  his  first  suit  of  mourning.  In  the  eyes  of 
the  library  world  we  were  refugees  from  a  great  fire  and 
received  with  unusual  interest.  We  told  and  retold  the 
story  of  the  conflagration  and  dwelt  with  pardonable 
pride  on  all  that  had  been  accomplished  in  the  succeeding 
weeks. 

On  our  return  we  found  our  room  at  the  Normal  College 
provided  with  unhoped-for  conveniences  and  equipped 
with  an  excellent  working  library.  So  the  year  ended 
with  a  little  fun  intermingled  with  the  long  hours  of  cata- 
loging and  the  bond  between  faculty  and  students  was 


62 

drawn  more  closely  because  of  the  great  crisis  through 
which  they  had  passed  together. 

The  next  fall  we  assembled,  our  own  class  somewhat 
diminished  in  numbers,  but  not  in  enthusiasm.  The 
gloomy  loft  of  the  guild  house  of  the  Cathedral  of  All 
Saints  had  been  transformed  into  a  pleasant  study  room 
and  the  walls  lined  with  a  splendid  collection  of  books. 
In  spite  of  the  fire  there  seemed  to  be  no  lack  of  material 
for  our  work  and  we  delighted  in  the  soft  strains  of  music 
which  came  to  us  from  the  choir  boys  in  the  cathedral. 

Soon  the  strange  faces  of  the  juniors  became  familiar 
to  us.  We  entertained  them;  they  invited  us  to  a  dance; 
the  months  slipped  by  and  we  separated  to  do  practice 
and  research  work  in  various  parts  of  the  country.  All 
too  quickly  June  arrived  and  our  two  years  at  Albany 
became  but  a  memory. 

Our  course  had  been  varied  and  broken,  but  was  there 
one  who  was  not  glad  and  proud  to  belong  to  the  "  fire 
class?  "  We  had  lost  much  in  the  form  of  lecture  notes 
and  books,  but  we  had  gained  far  more  in  seeing  the  cour- 
age with  which  men  and  women  could  face  a  great  disaster 
and  the  ability  and  perseverance  which  made  it  possible 
to  build  a  new  library  on  the  ashes  of  the  old. 


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